The Little Red Gem
by Ynnealay
Summary: SEQUEL to THE PRINCE AND THE RANGER. After their brief run-in with the orcs, Aragorn finds an mysterious glowing object from the orcs' camp. But why would orcs have an object as powerful as this? Aragorn and Legolas go on a quest to find out the source of this powerful magic stone. Their adventure takes a dangerous turn when they encounter a powerful elf sorceress.
1. The Little Red Gem

**Hey, I'm back and here is the sequel to The Prince and The Ranger. If you have not read my first story, it's okay, this should still make sense. (At least I intended it to make sense) Hope you enjoy this first chapter. BTW, this first chapter heavily contains alot of the last chapter of my first story. Don't worry, it wil get better.**

* * *

"I will miss you, mellon nin." Aragorn said as he dug to the bottom of his bags, their recent hunting trip had been enjoyable (save the incident with the orcs) but Aragorn could not stay in Mirkwood forever, it was not his place.

"Namárië -" Aragorn started, when he stopped short, pulling out a bundle of warm cloth, glowing with light and warmth from inside. He had completely forgotten about this strange thing until now, he had found it at the orc's camp and not the time to open it, so he took it with him. Legolas stared at the bundle in Aragorn's hands, a quizzical expression on his face.

"What is this?" Legolas asked. Aragorn was about to answer, when he realized he had none. In a whispering tone, he said;

"Valar, I do not know." Aragorn stared at the bundle of cloth, wondering why he hadn't opened it until now. He tossed it from hand to hand until at last Legolas put a hand on the bundle, stopping Aragorn from tossing it again.

"If you do not know, let us open it and find out." Legolas said, curiosity thick in his tone. So there, in the stables, Aragorn carefully unwrapped the cloth. Pieces of soft grey fabric fluttered to the ground, until at last, Aragorn pulled off the last strip of fabric, to reveal: a round red stone. The stone was slightly transparent and glowed with an inner light, illuminating the whole stable with its red glow. In Aragorn's hand, he felt it radiate with a strange warmth. It was then, that Aragorn looked up to see Legolas staring at it with a look of awe, as if it were showing him an enchanted image that he could not break away from.

"Legolas?" Aragorn asked "What do you see?" Legolas only peered closer and then spoke, wonder and admiration in his voice;

"I see...strands of magic, weaving around the stone and working their way into the very core of it. It pulses with a magic energy that I have never seen before. Emotions, too, malice and sorrow, joy, and desire melded into a focused, concentrated strand of pure energy. Never before have I seen such powerful magic woven into one object, save the legend of the one ring of Sauron. The whole stone radiates with a magic energy that seems never ending. It is as if, a very powerful wizard pulled all of his magic together and fused it into this one gem." Legolas finished, leaving Aragorn staring at the small gem, no bigger than his palm, wondering where it came from and how the orcs had come by it. Legolas shook his head, breaking his gaze away from the red gem.

"Where did this gem come from?" Legolas asked.

"The orcs." Aragorn said "They had this at their camp. I found this after I had slain them."

"How did orcs come by such valuable gem?" Legolas asked, not expecting an answer. Aragorn shook his head in bewilderment.

"I know of only one place that houses such fair gems as this, and even then, they do not radiate with such magic as this." Aragorn thought back, remembering the details, "It is a small cave hidden deep within Fangorn Forest." Aragorn said.

"Fangorn?" Legolas said, surprised. "That is thousands of leagues from here. However, I now have a desire to find out the history of this stone. I find myself filled with immense curiosity surrounding this gem." Aragorn was rather curious himself.

"We have not had an extensive adventure in quite a while, mellon nin, let us go on a hunt as to where this came from. What say you?" Aragorn said, tossing the stone into his other hand and slipping it into his saddle bag. Legolas smiled quite mischievously, his eyes shining with a thirst for an adventure.

"I say we go on this quest." Legolas agreed. Both of them smiled. "I will return, mellon nin." Legolas said, swiftly departing from the stables. Legolas did return, with two packed saddle bags and dressed in riding clothes and a riding cloak. He readied his horse and soon both Aragorn and Legolas' horses were both ready for a long adventure. As they rode off to hunt down the origins of the gem, Legolas laughed and turned his head to face Aragorn.

"Let us hope that this trip does not end up at our usual place." Legolas joked. He was talking about Rivendell in the house of Elrond, as much of their adventures ended with one of them in Lord Elrond's healing halls. Aragorn laughed at this joke and replied in the same joking tone:

"Legolas, you know that returning from an adventure with one of us injured is a tradition. How dare you suggest breaking it!" Both friends laughed and rode forward, eager to start this power gem related mystery.

* * *

**Sorry it was so short. There's more coming soon, I promise. I'm just editing it. And by editing, I mean re-writing parts of the story, not doing grammar and stuff.  
**

**I am currently in a play (You know, the theater!) I play the main antagonist. In between scenes I sit in my dressing room writing this story, I almost missed my part once- oops! There is a little girl in the cast also and she's been sneaking into my dressing room and trying to hack into my IPod while I go onstage. She's locked out my IPod- twice. **

**-Also-****  
**

**I let my little sister play on my IPod the other day and she completely trolled my story, putting in random sentences. I told her I'd put some of _her_ fanfiction on my account. Here is an example of a _full_ fanfiction story by my little sis:  
**

One day Aragorn and Legolas went hunting.**  
**

The next day, they found a warg

The next day, Aragorn Died.

THE END

**Yup, she doesn't take her fanfic writing seriously. So that's it. stay tuned for the next chapter. :P**


	2. The Storm

**Hey, here is where the story picks up some more. Sorry for the length of my chapters, they're really short. What would you prefer? should I post less frequently (Like every week and a half) but have really long chapters, or, post every 1 - 4 days with short chapters? What would you like better? Anyway, enjoy the story:**

* * *

The two of them rode south, not slowly but not fast either, their horses galloped through the landscape, going through long distances. When night fell and the sky grew dark, they camped. A couple weeks in, the sun rose late, and when it did, it rose to reveal large grey clouds, overcasting the sky in which they hung. Aragorn had been on watch that night and when Legolas awoke, he was not too happy as to the weather.

Legolas blinked his eyes awake, observing the cloud covered sky.

"Good morning, Aragorn." He said. Aragorn turned from where he was sitting and saw Legolas awake.

"And to you, mellon nin" Aragorn replied."I sense rain." He added. Legolas nodded almost gravely.

"As do I. We should depart as soon as possible before we run into a storm, I have a feeling there is more than just rain in store today." Legolas said. Aragorn agreed and the two broke camp very quickly. They were riding again in no later than a few minutes.

Aragorn and Legolas had been right. Only a few hours into their journey, and big wet raindrops started to drop down from the sky above. Aragorn looked up and held out his hand, feeling more drops land on it.

"This is not heavy rain. But I fear the worst is yet to come." Aragorn said. They kept riding, for the rain was not bad- yet. A few minutes later, the rain thickened and started to pour down, covering the whole land in grey. Both man and elf but up the hoods on their cloaks, which proved useless, as their hoods got soaked through in less than half an hour. They rode on anyway, for what else should they do? They rode for hours with the rain pouring down their faces and soaking everything in their saddle bags. A crack of thunder sounded ahead and soon the dark sky was filled with flashes of lightning. Deep booms and cracks were heard overhead as the two brave horses that had to bear such ridiculous riders trotted on, hoping for shelter soon. Then the wind picked up and whistled in their ears, gusts of cold rain water blinded them as thunder sounded overhead. What a storm this was.

"Legolas!" Aragorn shouted over the wind, rain and thunder "We must find shelter soon!" Legolas looked before them, hoping for a sign of cover or shelter, any shelter. They had been riding all day in this terrible storm, although he could not make out where they were, something seemed familiar about this place...  
he thought he could make out a dark shape in front of them, as they rode closer, he could see better what was before them. Ahead, lay a vast forest, dark and mysterious, yet filled with a beautiful living presence.

"There is Fangorn." Legolas said, pointing through the curtain of rain, "We best head for the tree's coverage." At last, they had reached Fangorn, although it seemed they never would.

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

Man and elf entered the forest drenched and looked around. The forest was dark and wet. Curtains of rain, slipping through gaps in the branches above, poured down like walls in certain places, while in others, slow dripping drops fell sporadically from water laden leaves, bending under the weight of the rain. The constant rush of the rain could be heard outside the forest, pounding the ground or the trees above. The forest was almost completely pitch black as the two soaked friends lead their horses deeper into the forest where horses never dared to go, however these horses seemed to prefer the dark forest than the raging storm outside. Flashes of lightning illuminated the shadow filled forest, but only for a second, and then all would collapse back into shadowy darkness. Thunder clapped overhead, filling the air with loud explosion-like noises.

"Come," Aragorn said, gesturing for Legolas to step in front, "What do you see?" The man asked, for he hoped Legolas' keen eyes could see better than his eyes were seeing at the moment. Legolas looked ahead, but in the brief flashes of lightning, all he could see was a few large trees.

"Just some tree-" Legolas started, until he saw a large tree with overhanging branches swooping down over a ditch a few meters away.

"Wait, there." The elf said, pointing to the small ditch, covered by overhanging branches, "That is our best chance, come Aragorn." They started to walk forward, when lightning struck a towering tree above them and it blackened, falling in their path.

"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, just as Legolas, who was in front, leapt back just in time for it to hit the ground, barely avoiding death by tree.

"I am fine, it's alright." Legolas assured his friend sure the tree was not a threat anymore. That is- until it started to crackle with the sound of a raging fire. A small, hot ember, creating a tiny orange flame, soon spread and started to consume the fallen tree in deadly flame. They could already feel the heat radiating off the dry wood.

"Aragorn!" Legolas shouted over the crackle and pop of the flame, "How is it possible that there is a fire in the middle of a rain storm?" the fire danced as rain fell on the burning log, automatically hissing and evaporating as soon as it came close to the bright flame.

"I do not know." Aragorn answered, "It seems the lighting rendered the log dry enough to hold a spark..." Legolas watched as the log burned; far too largely for his liking, but as it burned within a deep puddle of mud, it didn't seem to be harmful to them at the moment.

"What about your plan to camp in that sheltered ditch?" Aragorn asked.

"The wall of flame is too high for us to pass now." Legolas stated. Aragorn sighed, obviously not relishing the thought of sleeping next to a wild fire in a mud puddle, but as Aragorn was not an irrational man, he would not try to pass through the flames. He agreed to sleep on the ground where they were.

"We camp here tonight then." Aragorn decided.

It was not the most pleasant of nights, as to be expected, the ground was slushy and wet. Aragorn suggested they lay their cloaks down and sleep on them, but it made no difference, as the cloaks were soaked through to begin with. Legolas insisted on taking the first watch, and, having no reason to protest against this, Aragorn tried to get some sleep on the uncomfortably wet ground.

* * *

**Okay, hope you enjoyed the chapter. I know, the storm isn't really _that_ exciting, but it WILL pick up. Anyway, My sister continues to troll my story every time she can get her hands on it. This time she inserted "AND THEN THE FRIGHT BEGAN! a shelob jumped out and killed everyone" after every sentence and I had to go in backspace them. **

**(Okay, not ALL the sentences. More like one, but still)  
**


	3. The Cave

**This is probably the latest I've updated (save for the vacation I took) Sorry :( **

**Anyway, I have been attacked with minor writers block...! I have a story and I know what I want to happen, but I'm not inclined to write it...don't worry though, I hate when authors leave stories unfinished, so I will keep updating as soon as I can.**

* * *

Legolas awoke with his head against a mossy patch growing on a tree. His golden hair was filled with knots and clumps of mud, along with his clothes which were equally covered in mud. The storm had stopped sometime in the night, but the puddles of mud and the wet trees remained. The large log that had burned that night had burned out a few hours before daylight and now everything was quiet. Aragorn looked no better than Legolas did, in fact, he looked worse, however Aragorn looked like he did now most of the time anyway and didn't look very different than usual.

"How was your rest?" Aragorn asked sarcastically. Legolas sighed, running his hand through a clump of his mud splattered, tangled hair.

"Delightfully." He answered, equally sarcastic. Aragorn finally looked at his friend and noticed the way his friend, the elf, looked.

"Legolas, you look terrible." He observed, trying to keep the amusement at seeing his usually perfect elf friend muddy from showing on his face. Legolas looked positively horrible. He glared at Aragorn, not amused.

"Just pack up with me and lead us to that cave." Legolas commanded. Aragorn regained his composure and helped Legolas pack up the little things they had out.

"Do you still have the stone?" Legolas asked. Aragorn nodded and checked through his saddle bags, just to make sure. He pulled out his spare clothes and cloak that were both soaked through. He shook his head, not happy that his things were soaked. Legolas, in turn, checked through his saddle bags as well. His spare clothes and cloak were also soaked through, along with his lembas bread, which had turned to mushy lumps. Just then, Aragorn exclaimed in exasperation and Legolas turned to see Aragorn holding a dripping healing pack with plants that were meant to be kept dry, covered in water.

"Well, Estel," Legolas said, observing Aragorn's ruined healing pack. "I suppose we will just have to remain uninjured for this trip then." Legolas said. Aragorn dug around his bags until he pulled out the stone, still glowing brighter than ever and completely dry, despite the other soaked objects in Aragorn's bag.

"I have it." Aragorn confirmed. "Come; let us go to that cave."

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

Riding through the forest was not easy after the storm. The ground was mushy and the horses found it hard to tread the sinking mud. Eventually, Legolas and Aragorn rode back to the entrance of the forest, which was not very far, and left their horses outside in the hills, while they continued inside on foot. Even without their horses, walking through the Fangorn forest wasn't exactly pleasant after the storm. The mud sucked at their boots, clinging on and making steps hard. After a few hours, they came to a large boulder blocking their way. They could not simply walk around the boulder because the sides of it were blocked with tall thorn bushes, thick all the way through, and stretching far to either side.

"Is this the way, Aragorn?" Legolas asked, skeptically. Aragorn looked around.

"You must understand. I have not been to this cave in many years." Aragorn said. He examined their surroundings and nodded forward. "We should climb up this boulder. I believe what we seek is beyond this." Legolas examined the boulder and cocked his head, seeming to think this boulder a pretty easy climb. He stepped forward, grasping a rocky ledge and starting to scale the boulder easily. Aragorn followed him up with similar ease. After climbing for a while, it became apparent that the boulder was much larger than they had originally guessed; it was taking too long to get to the top. Legolas placed hand after hand on the rocky ledges, climbing swiftly without tiring. Aragorn followed, not tired either. After a prolonged period of time, Legolas finally reached to top. The surface of the top was flat enough, but bumpy in certain places and rounded over in others.

"Aragorn, the top is nearer than you may think. Come up, for the view is magnificent." Legolas called, leaning over the ledge. In no time, Aragorn also was sitting at the top, admiring the view. They were at the same level as some of the trees, and the leaves spread out like a dark lush meadow.

"You were not lying about the view, mellon nin." Aragorn smiled wearily at his elf friend. Legolas still looked terrible, covered in mud and his usually flawless golden hair in tangles. Legolas smiled back, looking over the horizon at the vast stretch if trees meeting the beautiful blue sky that had blossomed after the storm, he kept most of his lembas bread despite the fact that the little bread they has would not keep for very long in the soggy ruined state it was in.

"Lunch, my friend?" Legolas asked, pulling out a leaf wrapped wet lump of what used to be lembas bread. Aragorn looked quizzically at the bread in his friend's hands, wondering why Legolas would be carrying whatever it was Legolas was offering him.

"It is lembas." Legolas stated, seeming to sense Aragorn's confusion. "The rain-" Legolas continued. Aragorn smiled at this and took a piece off the mushy lump.

"Hannon le, mellon nin." Aragorn said, biting into the soggy lembas. Legolas finished the rest of the bread, not exactly liking it when it was wet. The friends sat atop the boulder for awhile, just enjoying each other's company and the view.

"Alright." Legolas said, breaking the silence, "Which way to the cave?" Aragorn nodded in response to Legolas' question, looking towards the opposing ledge from where they had climbed up.

"I believe I recognize this place" Aragorn said, "The cave is not far from the other side of this boulder." Aragorn walked to the edge, and looking down, swung himself over the edge and started his decent. Legolas swung himself over the edge as well and the two started to go down. Only a few minutes into climbing down, did Aragorn reach for a rock to put his hand on only to find it not as sturdy as he had thought. The rock was loose and when Aragorn put his hand on it, it came out, falling down the side of the boulder and his hand slipped.

"Aragorn!" Legolas exclaimed, having seen his friend lose his hand holds. Legolas instinctively let go of one of the rocks he was holding to reach down and help his friend. The ranger did not need the help his friend was offering, however because he has already grabbed another rock and was safely climbing again. Legolas realized his movement to help was not needed only a second too late, because he slipped down after letting go of his own hand holds. Legolas' hands fell off the grips and he fell backwards, losing all purchase he had on the rock until he was falling straight down.

"Legolas!" Aragorn yelled as Legolas fell closer to the ground. Legolas hit the ground, only to find he was on some sort of...slope? He rolled down into a dark area and soon found himself falling straight down a hole of some sort. The fall was short and when he emerged from the hole, he saw the ground rushing up to meet him. Quickly adjusting his position, Legolas tried to land on his feet, but when he hit the ground, he fell forward, falling on his hands and knees.

Aragorn watched Legolas fall and disappear beneath him.

"Legolas?" Aragorn called tentatively. When his friend didn't answer, Aragorn hurried his decent. After getting to the bottom, Aragorn noticed a sloping ditch leading into a carved out space in the boulder. There was an imprint in the dirt suggesting Legolas had slid down into the ditch. Aragorn slid down into the carved out space, to find a deep hole going straight down. He jumped down the hole.

Legolas shook his head, getting to his feet. He had bruised quite a few places, but it seemed he hadn't broken anything, a miracle for him after the fall he had taken. He looked around, seeing nowhere to go except back up the way he had come or forward into a cave-like tunnel. Legolas steppeed back, fully intending to climb back up, as he saw nothing appealing about going down a dark, inclosed tunnel. Hearing a sound, the elf turned to see his human friend fall down the hole above and tumble a bit upon hitting the ground, but not injure himself. Aragorn pushed himself off the ground to be met with a most welcome sight; Legolas already standing to meet him.

"Legolas, I saw you fall. Are you alright?" Aragorn asked. Legolas smiled at his friend's concerns, brushing them off.

"Estel, I am fine." Aragorn picked up on Legolas using his elven name and using the word 'fine'. Which on numerous occasions had come to mean 'dying or injured'

"Truly, Aragorn. I tell you no untruths this time." Legolas added, sensing his friend's suspicions. Aragorn grudgingly accepted the elf's answer and looked around, examining where they were.

"I know this place." Aragorn murmured. Legolas nodded, prompting Aragorn to continue.

"Is this the cave where the stones are?" Legolas asked. Aragorn started to walk down the tunnel straight ahead.

"Aye, mellon nin. Come, follow me." Aragorn disappeared into the seemingly long, dark tunnel and Legolas paused for a moment before hesitantly running forward to meet his friend.

* * *

**The play I was in is finished and done and it went so well! I hoped now that the play was done I would have more time to focus on writing, but I guess I still have the same amount of time, so here it is, I'll update as soon as I can! **


	4. Glowing Blue Gems

**The only thing I have to say is: Sorry for not updating. Enjoy the next chapter. **

* * *

Much to Legolas' liking, the tunnel was shorter than he had seen into it. Before long, the pair stepped into a large cavern, lit with a blue light. All around, there were soft edged stones not unlike the red one Aragorn carried with him but these stones glowed blue and glowed with a softer light. Legolas gasped. Aragorn looked over at his friend, usually nothing surprised this elf. This was new.

"What do you see here?" Aragorn asked. Legolas looked around, curiosity shown in his eyes.

"This place is pure. All these stones are clean and clear, empty as if waiting to for a substance to hold." Aragorn took out the red stone, examining it. The red stone seemed to look exactly like the blue stones that covered the cave, except the red gem was warm and pulsed with energy, whereas the blue stones moved not and they were cool to the touch and glowed fainter.

"So it seems that whoever the owner of this stone is," Aragorn said, holding up the red stone, "took one of these blue stones and... poured their power into it?" Aragorn looked to Legolas for conformation.

"So it seems." Legolas said, agreeing. "Lend to me the red stone. I would like to try something" Aragorn handed Legolas the red stone and Legolas took it, then leaned down and picked up a blue stone, holding them close. Aragorn watched closely wondering what Legolas was testing. When the elf gave an exclamation of success, Aragorn looked closer at the two stones in Legolas' hands, he noticed nothing except- were his eyes playing tricks on him? The blue stone seemed ever so slightly tinged pink. Aragorn finally decided to ask Legolas what he saw.

"What do you see now?" Aragorn asked. Legolas continued to stare at the two stones, interested in what he could see. The magic energy from the red stone was being gathered as if by a spinning wheel and being turned into a strand of glowing red. The strand of magic was then being sucked into the core of the blue stone, as if the blue was absorbing the red stone's magic. However, the red stone seemed to want to keep its magic and was pulling back on the strand if magic energy, stretching it.

"Legolas." Aragorn said again, trying to get his friend's attention. Legolas didn't look up, still watching the battle between stones.

"Legolas!" Aragorn said, catching Legolas' awareness. The elf looked up suddenly, pulling the stones apart and he didn't watch, but the red magic snapped back and it all returned to the red stone, leaving the blue stone empty again.

"Your assumptions were correct. The red stone must have once been an empty shell like these blue stones." Legolas stated simply without explaining what he had seen.

"Then the question is," Aragorn said, "Who is the one who put his power into this stone?"

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

Aragorn and Legolas both took a few blue stones and kept them in case they may become useful. Legolas carried most of the stones though, as he had informed Aragorn of how the red stone seemed to lose some of its power after being in close contact with the blue stones. The two went back down the tunnel and found themselves back in the small space with the exit at the top. Legolas was first to try to get out. He jumped with a swift graceful leap and caught the top of the hole above. Pulling himself up, Legolas scrambled out of the dark space, happy to be out of the cave.

"Legolas!" Aragorn called from below. Legolas peered down at Aragorn. "Alas, I cannot replicate that jump." Aragorn said, "Do you have a rope you could lower down?" Aragorn knew it was a long shot and Legolas probably didn't have any rope, but he had to ask. The elf shook his head and sighed, thinking.

"I am sorry, mellon nin, however I posses not a rope." Legolas stood up and looked behind him into the forest.

"Give me a few seconds." Legolas said. "I am off to find some rope." Legolas took off into the forest and searched around, all the while reminding himself to pack rope next time. The elvish prince looked around until he saw, a few meters in front of him, a hanging vine. It was thin and light green, with small leaves growing out of it. Legolas experimentally pulled on the vine once he had gotten to it. It stretched a bit, so he climbed up and held onto the vine, putting his weight on it. Almost immediately, the vine snapped and fell to the ground. Legolas had let go as soon as it snapped and had landed on his feet, but he picked up the rope and shook his head. If the vine couldn't support Legolas, it was sure not to support Aragorn. The elf looked around and spotted a bunch of thin vines hanging from numerous trees and he immediately put together a plan and proceeded to braid the vines together to make one thick rope.


	5. A Voice on the Wind

**I had a hard time writing this chapter, because I was trying to figure out how to portray a certain OC. I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

Aragorn stood looking up into the daylight streaming through the hole above, he would have to wait until Legolas came back with rope. Of course, he could have just asked Legolas to jump back down and let Aragorn climb on his shoulders, but Aragorn could see how briskly the elf had walked out of the dark tunnel and how eagerly he had jumped out first. The man knew that Legolas didn't want to come back down into the dark cave. So, Aragorn would have to wait until Legolas came back with rope. He sat down with his back against one wall and looked up, waiting for Legolas. Just then, he heard a noise. A soft melody, somebody singing. The tune was being sung by a soft voice, beautiful and clear, yet the tune itself was dark and mysterious, almost with a haunting evil to it. Aragorn listened to the words and only made out a few lines, which seemed like a bunch of pointless rhymes, but still he listened to the haunting tune sung out by that clear voice.

_Up high in the stars,  
The brightness, it lingers,  
The fire it stretches,  
To come to my fingers._

_In my hands,_  
_I hold the power,_  
_The stones shall sing,_  
_All will cower!_

Aragorn listened intently as the voice came closer. He was certain it was not Legolas, as Legolas' voice was not the same as the one he was hearing now, and he couldn't imagine Legolas singing such a hauntingly evil sounding song. More versus followed as it sounded like the owner of the voice was getting close to the way into the cave.

_I will rule,  
All shall fall,  
For I have united them,  
I have almost all!_

The song abruptly came to a stop and somebody walked closer to the hole that served as an exit, and leaned over, peeking their head into the dark. Aragorn immediately pulled his cloak (which had dried by now) over himself and did one if the things he did best other than sword fighting- he blended into the shadows and made himself unseen. The figure sticking their head into the cave blocked out some of the light, casting a shadow over an already dark cave. The person must have heard something soon after, because they looked up and behind them, darting away without so much as a sound.

"Aragorn?" Legolas called as he approached the cave, this time, carrying a coil of hand braided rope. Aragorn was still hidden in the shadows. When Legolas came to the entrance and looked in, the man risked a look at the figure looking in. When Aragorn saw that it was Legolas, he threw off his cloak and stepped out of the shadows.

"It never ceases to surprise me, mellon nin, at how well you can become unseen against the shadows." Legolas laughed, "Here, grab this." The elf threw down the vine-rope and waited for Aragorn to grab hold of it. Before Aragorn could start climbing, Legolas pulled him up. Thankfully, the rope did not give and Aragorn made it to the top safely.

"Hannon le, mellon nin." Aragorn said, once he had reached the top, then looking at the rope, he nodded respectfully at his elven companion, "Nice rope. Cleverly crafted, Legolas." Legolas only threw a suspicious, but slightly flattered glance at his friend and slung the coil of rope across his chest with his bow, arrows, and knives.

"Thank you." Legolas said in westron*.

Aragorn was starting to doubt that there had really been someone singing that haunting tune, but he had to be sure. Without speaking, the ranger leaned down to the ground and searched for any tracks.

"Aragorn?" Legolas asked curiously, noticing Aragorn suddenly checking the ground as if he was looking for the tracks of something- or someone (which he was) "What are you looking for?" Aragorn couldn't find any tracks and he wasn't sure what it meant.

"Nothing." He replied quickly, standing.

"Is something...wrong?" Legolas asked, troubled by his friend's odd behavior. Aragorn thought about his situation; he had heard something and seen a shadow being cast over the hole, but when Legolas came near, the figure disappeared without a sound and now it left no tracks. Aragorn's senses had never failed before, but there was a complete lack of physical evidence to prove that someone had been there. All things proved that Aragorn had heard and seen things that weren't there, but he refused to consider that absurd possibility, he wasn't delusional, nor was he injured in any way. However, Legolas would believe that he was injured and would worry. Aragorn decided not to tell his friend.

"No. There is nothing amiss." Aragorn said, but even as he said this, he felt that there had been something; he knew he had to find it. Aragorn wasn't sure which direction it had headed, as it had made no sound when it fled, but he thought he had seen it go left, so he turned in that direction and, while still looking in that direction, said;

"Let us head in this direction." Aragorn decided. Legolas peered deep into the forest in the direction Aragorn was looking and saw nothing there.

"I see nothing in that direction, Aragorn. Are you sure nothing is wrong?" Legolas asked.

"Yes, I am sure. Now come, follow me." Aragorn said in a slightly annoyed tone as he walked forward. Legolas furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and concern, but he let the matter go, knowing he would get the truth soon. Aragorn and Legolas could hardly keep things from each other for long, be it injuries or suspicions. The elf sighed quietly and followed his friend.

* * *

***Westron = Common Tongue (This language was represented by English in the movies and books) **

**Okay, I have to apologize for some things: first of all, I can't help but feel that the characters (Mostly Aragorn) were a bit OOC in this chapter. But hey, it's not like they're completely unrecognizable... In short, I'm sorry. Please Review! :D  
**


	6. An Eagle Falls

**Okay, So this may be a bit confusing: The parts in _i__talic _are scenes that happened elsewhere a few months/weeks ago, meaning it would have happened before or during Legolas and Aragorn's hunting trip in the previous story. **_  
_

* * *

_A few months ago..._

_The eagle flew far above the ground, hoping that its pursuer would not follow. As the eagle flew higher, it looked around, fear instilled in its usually brave and mighty heart. The eagle searched the dark sky, tensely until it was sure it was alone. At last, the mighty bird let its guard down, but too soon as the predator descended upon it. The eagle looked up and screeched in terror_

* * *

Aragorn trudged ever onward, despite seeing nothing for an hour and a half. He had held their course going straight, and never turned for so long without saying a word. Now even Legolas was starting to doubt Aragorn's intentions.

"Aragorn." Legolas said, breaking the silence that had been hanging in the air for far too long. The man turned and raised an eyebrow to show he was listening, then he turned forward once more and continued walking.

"You must tell me, where are we going!?" Legolas demanded. Aragorn only nodded forwards.

"I trust you, Estel." Legolas continued, "However I am starting to wonder about our plan. Never have you kept me in the dark so long. Please tell me where you are leading me." The elf added.

"I- you would not believe me, mellon nin." Aragorn said. Legolas stepped up his pace and stopped Aragorn with a hand on his shoulder. He turned the man so he was facing him. Legolas' eyes worriedly searched Aragorn's face, wondering what he meant by 'You would not believe me'

"I would try to believe you, mellon nin. You know I would try, Estel." Legolas assured.

"Have you ever heard of something that leaves no tracks or signs they had been there, yet casts a shadow?" Aragorn asked.

"Spirits mayhap. However, they do not cast shadows." Legolas said, not sure where Aragorn was going with this.

"Pay no mind." Aragorn said briskly.

"Fine then." Legolas shot back, surprised and angry by Aragorn's sudden coolness and withholding of information "Do not tell me if you wish not to." Aragorn raised an eyebrow, and said in a tone too devoid of emotion to be good,

"I will not then." Aragorn turned swiftly, walking forward with greater speed than before.

Now a deeper silence defended over the two friends, now almost ignoring each other. Legolas still followed Aragorn, but in grim silence did he go forth. Aragorn also, walked briskly and never looked back to his elven companion. The silence hung low around them. It became awkward as it had seldom been before, and so when the two came to a waterfall ahead, Legolas took the opportunity.

The waterfall dropped off from a low cliff, low enough to climb up in an hour or a half, the cool water splashed into a small but deep pool at the base of the fall and the water ran far off to the right in a narrow, shallow, but fast and cold stream. When the two got to the edge of the water, Legolas took off his cloak and shirt and hung them on a nearby tree. Aragorn looked Legolas in confused annoyance.

"What are you doing, Legolas?" Aragorn asked, in a tone that suggested he felt obligated to ask that question. Legolas needed to get away from Aragon for awhile and clear his mind; he thought a swim would help.

"I am-" Legolas paused, then decided to do something immensely childish and give the most pointless, useless reason he could think of, just to get on Aragorn's nerves. It was foolish, but Legolas was very annoyed at his friend at the moment and he knew Aragorn would wait, no matter how angry they were at each other.

"I am washing my hair." Legolas said, smirking slightly as he ran his fingers through his mud splattered hair. Aragorn sighed and dropped his head. _Valar_, Aragorn thought, _how did I end up traveling with this elf!?  
_  
Splash!

Legolas dived into the water. The cold didn't touch him at all, and he dove deeper, much enjoying actually, feeling clean again.

* * *

_The predator that had descended was in the form of a large black feathered hawk. Its eyes glowed bright gold and it was, all things considered, a beautiful, if not evil bird. Smokey shadows curled and swirled at the end of the hawk's tail and trailed off into black clouds behind it. Its wings cut through clouds and trailed off at the ends, leaving a trail of shadow in its wake. The eagle flapped harder, trying to out fly the malicious hawk. But the hawk was too fast. It advanced on the eagle and in one move, snapped its neck, killing it._


	7. An Orb of Light in the Water

**Hey! I'm back! this is an extra long chapter (by my standards) and I hope you enjoy. I'm leaving on my second vacation of the summer on the 19th, so I am gonna try to be prepared to come back with an extra long chapter after that too. Okay, you can stop reading my endless ramblings and read the chapter now: **

* * *

Legolas let some of the water run through his fingers as he dove down again, the cold of the water actually quite refreshing. The elf swam deeper, his keen eyes looking past the darkness of the deep and finding a clarity of all that was submerged. Deep within the pool, something shone. Legolas was running out if breath now, and he surfaced, a look of curiosity on his face. He took a breath and plunged down again, determined to see what the object was. When Legolas got to the bottom, he could see more clearly the object. It was an orb of light, bright white and half buried in the sandy pool bottom. Legolas reached out his hand and felt it; it was smooth as clear crystal glass, yet soft. As soon as Legolas touched the orb, he felt a shock go through his body and some air escaped from his lips. The orb locked him in place, preventing him from surfacing, and it started to dissolve in his fingertips, absorbing itself into his chest. He couldn't move, and he jerked violently underwater, as the orb tried to settle itself inside Legolas. He ran out of breath, and his desperate lungs tried to suck in air, but only got water. He struggled, but it only made matters worse.

Aragorn sat on a semi flat stone, near the pool's edge. He eyed the top of the water, wondering what Legolas was doing. Come to think of it, the elf hadn't surfaced in a long while. Aragorn cautiously walked to the pools edge, looking in. What he saw terrified him; through the murky water, Aragorn could see Legolas struggling to get up, as if being held down. Without thinking, Aragorn dove in, the frigid water almost freezing him. He swam deeper, until he had Legolas by the arm. Legolas continued struggling, seemingly unaware of the man, until his form suddenly went limp. Aragorn dragged Legolas to the surface, pushing him onto the shore and then dragging himself after the elf. Aragorn coughed some water and then leaned over Legolas, observing his condition. It was not serious, as far as Aragorn could tell, and sure enough, without any help, Legolas' eyes blinked open and he coughed up a bunch of water, choking on it. The elf sat up on his own and spat water onto the ground, breathing when all the water was expelled from his lungs. Just then, his body went rigged and Legolas' eyes glowed white. He felt as if he was being used as a host for another being, as if the life energy from another, very powerful creature was trying to re-build a soul in place of his own. Legolas fought to push the life energy of the intruder out. He started to shake, and finally a white light poured out if his chest and he collapsed forward, breathing heavily.

"Legolas!" Aragorn exclaimed, all annoyance or anger purged from his tone, "Are you alright!?" Legolas swallowed, pushing himself up and nodded slowly.

"Aye. I am fine. Truly." Legolas replied. He took a deep breath, and, despite being sopping wet and looking extremely tired out, he did look fine.

"You worry me, mellon nin. You just almost drowned! And then, well..." Aragorn was obviously relieved that nothing serious had happened, but in his tone, there was an underlying guilt. Aragorn's eyes flickered to the ground and Legolas followed the man's gaze, it fell upon the white orb which had rematerialized on the ground.

"You know what this is, don't you?" Legolas asked. Aragorn shook his head, but said nothing, clearly conveying that he was hiding something. Aragorn had a theory, he believed that the white orb belonged to whatever or whoever the shadow was that he had seen earlier, and he felt guilty for not warning Legolas.

"Alright Estel, enough." Legolas said commandingly, "You are going to tell me what you know and you are going to tell me everything. Now." He glared at the secretive adan (man). Aragorn sighed, he wanted to tell Legolas now, and he didn't care if the elf thought him crazy. _Besides_, Aragorn thought, _we could never keep things from each other for long_. Aragorn took a deep breath and started;

"Firstly, forgive me, Legolas. I have been too secretive to you of the late and I should have told you this, but I feared you would think my tale untrue and me to be a liar or worse. I am sorry." Aragorn looked at Legolas, guiltily.

"I forgive you, Estel. What is it you have kept from me?" Legolas asked. Aragorn paused once before starting and when he did, he recalled every detail.

"This song you speak of...?" Legolas asked once Aragorn was finished, "Sing it for me if you can." Aragorn thought for a moment and then closed his eyes and started to sing.

Legolas listened to the melody and it chilled him. The tune crept into his heart and for a moment everything turned dark and cold. Aragorn continued singing. Eventually, Legolas couldn't take it anymore;

"Stop." Legolas said, "Please stop, the tune haunts me, and hovers in my mind like a cold fog." Aragorn opened his eyes, abruptly stopping.

"I am sorry, mellon nin. There is no more that I can recall anyway." Aragorn apologized. Legolas shook his head.

"There is something familiar about that song... It is like a distant memory of a tale told long ago." Legolas thought back, sorting through memories until he remembered,

"What is this story, mellon nin? Please, recount it if you can recall." Aragorn bid Legolas.

"It is an old legend." Legolas started, "So old, that no living being can remember from where it came. The tale is of magic. Listen well to it." He paused, closing his eyes as if remembering how to start the story. "Well, here it is;

Once, before any can recall, there was a sorcerer. The sorcerer held the power of the sun, the moon, and the stars. He had almost unlimited power and he used this power wisely and graciously. He used the power for good. However, an evil sorceress wanted his power for herself, as she possessed the powers of the elements; Fire, water, air, and earth. The sorceress wanted his powers combined with hers, since his were slightly more powerful. She devised a plan to steal them from him. But the sorcerer was wise to her plans and he gave up his powers, hiding them in a star in the sky, intending never to get them back, if it meant keeping them away from the hands of evil. When she found out what he had done, she tried to kill him, but in the end, even with the advantage of her control of the elements, he won and turned her into nothing but a shadow with the last bit of power he had kept. The evil shadow flew off and eventually found the star in which his powers were hidden, however she could not claim them for herself, as she was now nothing more than a shadow. She vowed to guard the star and his power for eternity and if she could not claim them, then she would choose who next would. It is said that if one collects the souls of the elements, they will gain the power of shadow and it will grow stronger every element soul they take until they have all the element souls collected in soul stones. If one shows the element souls to the sorceress, who is rumored in old children's tales to be still swirling around the sorcerer's star, it is said they will be deemed worthy of power by the sorceress and be gifted by the evil sorceress the power of the sun, moon, and stars, along with keeping the power of shadows and elements." Legolas finished his tale. Aragorn sat still, thinking. Finally, he spoke.

"Legolas, how do you collect these souls?" Aragorn inquired. Legolas closed his eyes again, as if thinking.

"First off, Aragorn, it is a mere children's story. It does not really matter. You do not honestly believe the tale could be true, do you?" Legolas raised an eyebrow.

"I do, mellon nin." Aragorn insisted, "It may seem foolish, but I would like to know. It seems this might be an answer to this riddle." Legolas sighed,

"Very well, Estel. I shall tell." Legolas relented "I do not know much more than this, but all I know is that to get a soul, you must kill the living owner of the soul. For the fire soul, you must kill either a balrog or an orc. For water, you must kill a stoor, a water maiden, or a fish from the deep ocean that has lived at least one hundred years. For air, you must fell an eagle and for earth, you must kill-" Legolas stopped abruptly, before continuing, "You must kill either an ent or a wood-elf." If Aragorn hadn't known better, he would have thought Legolas was watching him suspiciously as if the wood elf thought the man night kill him for his soul.

"Okay," Legolas said, "I have told you all I know, where do we go from here?"

* * *

**Coming up next time: More about the eagle and the shadow hawk**


	8. A Maiden of Shadow

**Hey, devoted readers! Here is the newest chapter! ****I'm currently preparing to go on vacation and I'm SUPER excited! YAY! Oh, and I've been kind of distracted lately, preparing things and trying to heed my dad's command of staying off the computer. To be honest, i almost forgot to post this chapter on time, so please forgive me if I'm a few days late with next chapter. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!  
**

* * *

_The eagle's limp, dead body dropped from the sky, towards the dark forest. The shadow hawk dived after its latest kill, and grabbed the eagle in its talons just before it hit the ground. The hawk landed on the ground and the matter making up the hawk's body seemed to evaporate into smoke. The black smoke took the form of a young elleth (she-elf). Her dark hair cascaded down her back, almost floating in some places as the smoke formed the shape of her hair. The rest of the smoke wrapped around her body, flaring out at the ends of the dress, swirling in clouds of shadow at her feet and a cloak of darkness she wore on her shoulders. Still, her eyes glowed gold. Soon, the smoke evaporated, leaving a normal elven maiden it her place, her dress was now of midnight blue and her cloak of forest green. Her eyes stayed gold, however and her black hair was brushed past her pointed ears, resting down her back, twisted into a braid._

_"Pitiful creature." She mused, eyeing the large, dead eagle at her feet. Had the eagle been still alive, she could have ridden it. She reached into a pocket in her dress and pulled out a red velvet pouch and a softly glowing blue stone. The she elf reached two slender, pale fingers into the red pouch, and they came out pinching a black dust. She waved her arm out, sprinkling the black dust over the eagle's body, and as the dust fell, it shimmered, revealing certain things. For this was seeing dust, it showed the life energy and soul of a being. Now, the evil elleth could see a white light floating out of the dead eagle, its soul departing along with its life energy from the body. She sighed, this was the hardest part. She now had to separate the life energy from the soul quickly enough to capture the soul. Under her breath, she muttered a quick spell and the white light paused, shivering. Then, the light split apart; now half of it looked like a clear white light, and the other, a glowing white powder, fragile as thin glass and easily blown away by the wind. Quickly, she held the glowing blue stone up to the white dust and smiled when the dust absorbed into her stone, turning the stone previously blue, to a largely glowing white._

_"Ah, yes. The soul of an eagle, the soul of air." She smiled looking at the white stone in her hands. Quickly, she turned her head to the clear white light, watching as it turned into a white orb and fell to the ground, now missing a soul to connect with; the white orb containing the eagle's life energy would simply sit there, waiting for another body to posses with an eagle's life energy. She glared at the eagle's life energy in disgust, she would have to get rid of it before it tried to posses someone and someone went looking for the one who left the life energy orb there. She expertly raised her arms over her head and recited another spell, transforming the eagle's body into smoke. Taking a breath, she blew on the smoke and the eagle disappeared. Walking over to the life energy containing orb, she quickly scooped it up into a bundle if cloth and weighed it in her hands, she would have to dispose of it eventually. Looking into the distance, she saw Fangorn forest._

_"Ah, perfect." She whispered, she knew a perfect little pool in Fangorn that nobody in their right mind would dive into, too deep and dark, she would toss it there. Swirling her hands in front of her, she turned back into a shadowy hawk and grabbed the cloth carrying the orb of life energy in her talons, then flew into the air towards Fangorn._

* * *

The fire crackled and spit sparks off the dry wood, illuminating and warming the area around it. Legolas sat in a tree above the fire, idly stroking the fletching on his arrows, counting the contents of his quiver, and tracing his fingers over the intricate patterns carved into his blades. Aragorn, on the other hand, was sitting near the fire smoking his pipe and thinking. Today had been pretty disappointing. After they had both dried, and it had been established that they were both fine after the incident with the white orb, Aragorn had decided that: 1. The orb should defiantly not be directly touched again, 2. they should find out what and where the orb is/came from, and 3. There might be someone trying to gather all the element souls and claim the powers of the sun, moon, and stars, and they should find out if there was someone trying to do just that and if there was, they should try to stop the person, keeping in mind the key word was _if_.

First, Aragorn and Legolas had tried all they could think of to analyze what the white orb was, but without directly touching it, it was pretty tough. Legolas had offered to touch it again, but in the end they both decided it was a bad idea. After that, they were both stuck, they had no leads or trail whatsoever to try and find out where whoever was trying to collect all the element souls was hiding, if there even was a person to begin with. The only things they had to go by were a glowing red stone that did nothing but radiate with power, and an untouchable white orb. Eventually, Aragorn had stopped trying to figure out any kind of plan and just sat down, thinking.

He had been sitting there, still by the waterfall pool for three hours now, deep in his own thoughts. When the sun started to set, Legolas had left momentarily and come back with meat for dinner. The elf had built a fire and cooked the meat, all while Aragorn sat there silently and seemingly frustrated. He had accepted the food Legolas gave him, and said nothing but a quick elvish thanks and Legolas thought it best to leave him alone. So now the elf was up in a nearby tree, distracting himself with nothing and waiting for the ranger below to finish his contemplating.

"How long are you to stay silent, mellon nin?" Legolas asked, breaking an hour long silence and turning his head slightly. He was stretched out on a thick branch, lying on his back, with his head against the trunk and his weapons hung at easily accessible points in different tree branches around him.

"I do not know." Aragorn replied.

"Long silences have been happening too much between us of the late." Legolas pointed out, turning his head back to his blades, which he was currently examining unnecessarily long. "It should not be this way." The elf said.

"However," Aragorn said, closing his eyes, "It is."

"Why has this silence come over us? I have rarely seen us so silent to one another." Legolas asked, looking directly at his friend now.

"I am thinking." was the reply. Legolas quickly gathered his weapons and leapt down from the tree, casually sitting beside Aragorn. The ranger opened his eyes and turned his head, looking at the recently-arrived elf.

"Will you not share your thoughts with me?" Legolas asked. Aragorn sighed.

"If you must know, I am frustrated. I cannot find any trace of anyone who might be wanting to collect these soul stones you speak of, we cannot figure out what the red gem or the white orb does, and there is absolutely nothing to go on. In all my years of tracking things or investigating what is happening, I have never come up so empty of clues or traces of anything to go on!" the ranger sighed again, setting his pipe aside and burying his face in his hands.

"What have you decided on doing? Surely you have not been thinking for hours on those few thoughts." Legolas inquired, his tone was gentle, yet curious and non intrusive at the same time.

"To be honest, Legolas, I mostly have been. However, I have one thing." Aragorn said, raising his face from his hands.

"What?" Legolas urged him to continue.

"We have nothing to go on except the legend you spoke of. I thought perhaps we might investigate the legend further, in a library or place of archives mayhap." Aragorn stated.

"Which place of archives?" the elf asked.

"The most extensive one I know."

"Lord Elrond's." they both said simultaneously.

"From here to Rivendell is no small distance." Legolas stated quite obviously, considering he was in the company of a ranger.

"I am aware of this, but we are getting nowhere just staying here." Aragorn pointed out.

"True." Legolas paused, weighing his friend's words, "So, we leave tomorrow at sunrise?"

"Agreed."

* * *

**Next Time: A fight with some shadow servants  
**

***Reviews Please...?*  
**


	9. Servants of Erdolliel

**Hey Devoted Readers! Yes, okay, as I previously predicted (and apologized for) I am a few days late with this chapter, I'm sorry. To make it up to you, this chapter is REALLY long by my standards! I can't even believe how long I wrote this chapter. Well, I guess it's a good thing though because I'm leaving on vacation today and I won't update for a week. But, now that I am COMPLETELY over my minor writers block, I Super-Duper-Pinkie-Promise to give you an extra long chapter when I return!And, to tide you over until I get back, this chapter is longer than usual! So, enjoy!**

* * *

_In her shadow hawk form, she was much swifter and her eyesight was slightly keener, however it was still very superior, with her being an elf and all. She flew far above Fangorn until she found the pool she was searching for. With perfect precision, she dropped it into the pool with a splash and she landed beside the pool, turning into her elf form in mid air, so her feet landed softly on the soil as she solidified._

_"Hmm..." She whispered softly to herself. "Just in case a fool tries to swim in here, I shall conjure up something to take care of them." She swirled her finger in the air and three wisps of black smoke appeared, taking her form, but all with black eyes, they looked crueler, with sharper features. The three shadow copies stood before her, intently awaiting orders._

_"You serve me: Erdolliel." She said._

_"If any should find the white orb, dispose of them however you see fit." Erdolliel commanded. Her voice suddenly sounded like it dripped with icy venom. "Now go, minions of Erdolliel. Do my bidding. Stay far from the orb, but attack if any find it. Go now." Erdolliel spread her arms with more flourish than usual and flew off, a hawk._

* * *

"I will take first watch." Aragorn offered, "Rest, Legolas." He said.

"I do not require rest, mellon nin. I do not feel in need of it." Legolas stated.

"Well, I think I would find I cannot sleep tonight." Aragorn said, he was obviously mentally tired, but could not sleep because of it.

"Alright." Legolas said, "I will try to take some rest. Wake me, Aragorn, when it is my turn to watch and the night is halfway over." The elf silently climbed back up into the tree and hung his weapons in the same positions as before. Legolas lay out on the same branch and let his mind wander into the dozing realm if elven dreams.

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

The night was dark and silent, save the crackle of the fire. Aragorn had long since put out his pipe, and he had laid aside his troubling thoughts. The ranger now leant against the tree in which is elven companion slept. Everything was silent and Aragorn let his mind wander.

_Up high in the moon,  
The brightness, it lingers,  
The air, how it floats  
To come to my fingers._

Aragorn was immediately alert and he searched around cautiously. Had he heard things? No. The haunting tune seemed more frightening out in the open. It was colder sounding, and more omnipresent.

_Up high in the sun,  
The brightness, it lingers,  
The earth, how it longs,  
To come to my fingers._

He was sure it was getting closer now; the song was getting kind of creepy.

"Legolas." He hissed, looking up in the tree. Legolas was alert and awake at once, he sat up in the tree, and was about to say something, when he saw Aragorn below with his finger to his lips in a 'shhh' gesture. Legolas nodded silently and quickly joined Aragorn on the ground, his quiver and knives strapped back in their places and his bow tense in his hand. Legolas shot Aragorn a confused look and Aragorn understood the silent question:

_'What is it? Is something near?_' Legolas automatically listened harder to try to sense anything within range. Aragorn tilted his head to the side slightly and put his hand to his ear in a silent message of his own:

_'Just keep listening_.' Aragorn conveyed silently. Legolas nodded and they stayed silent.

_Up high in the sky,  
The brightness, it lingers,  
The water, it swishes,  
To come to my fingers,_

Legolas shivered as the cold song entered his ears and he looked at Aragorn with a searching look written on his face, another silent question:

_'Is this the same song you heard before?_' Technically, Aragorn had never heard these particular versus before, but the tune was the same and the majority of the lyrics were too, so he nodded yes. Legolas shook his head in over exaggerated confusion:

_'What do we do?_' Aragorn put up one finger, telling Legolas to wait. Legolas pointed to their fire, slowly dying, but still very bright by the standards of people who want to stay hidden. They were getting quite good at this silent communications thing. Aragorn could easily read the newest question,

_'What do we do about the fire? It is sure to attract attention._' Aragorn sighed quietly; he would have to put it out, as quietly as possible. Legolas would probably be more silent at this. He met Legolas' eyes and mimed pouring water on a fire. Legolas understood and slowly stood, then swiftly and silently ran to the pool's edge and then realized he had nothing to hold water with. Showing exasperation on his face, Legolas emptied his quiver in one move and bent down to scoop up water in his arrow quiver. However, his quiver never touched the water, because a loud voice stopped him and brought him up short.

"Legolas! Behind-" Aragorn shouted a warning. Legolas looked behind him to see a maliciously smiling dark figure of a she elf; she was armed with a long, slender weapon that was called a rapier. She was about to make a swipe for his head, when he ducked and re loaded his quiver in one move, then strapped it back on in another. Aragorn was already on his feet with his sword drawn. He ran towards his friend's attacker and brought down his sword horizontally, catching her by the shoulder. She turned to face him, but too late. A clean cut was made on her shoulder, but it did not bleed, instead, smoky shadows poured out of it and they re formed her shoulder, healing it.

"Nice try, human." She mocked, giving him a wicked smile. Her eyes, demonically cold and sharp. She danced around Aragorn brandishing her rapier with small flicks of her wrists, all while smiling in a mockingly demonic way that was overall extremely creepy. She charged forward, thrusting her weapon in Aragorn's face. He brought up his sword to block her before she could hit him, but she was very fast. She spun her blade out of his and traced it up and then down, cutting a rip in the chest of his shirt and slicing a cut on his chin before Aragorn stepped back, bringing his own sword up in defensive stance.

"What's the matter? Am I too fast for you, human?" She mock chided, "Oh, well, I suppose it's only natural." She laughed at him. Aragorn ran forward, slicing his sword with experienced, purposeful strokes, cutting her in many places, but she never bled. Like before, she merely healed herself.

"Ha! Pathetic tries." She grinned, her eyes narrowing, "Come at me!" Aragorn almost did, when her eyes went blank for a second as if she had been killed. She staggered forward, but then reached behind her and pulled an arrow out of her head, glaring at it and her eyes turned colder (if that was even possible) The dark she elf turned, a menacing glare replacing the expression of playful mockery. She saw Legolas standing a few meters away, apparently, he had gotten there during her and Aragorn's battle. She glared at him with a stare that made this phrase come to mind "If looks could kill..."

"That..." She very nearly snarled at Legolas, "...Hurt. Immensely." She threw his arrow on the ground in disgust as he loaded two more and he shot them at her head. She tried to dodge left, but his arrow still struck her. She recovered fairly quickly, and she now seemed to be masking her rage.

"Better try, elf. I'm only here to kill you, seeing as you're the one who knows about the- never mind. Let's get this over with!" She rushed at him, her rapier ready, but he was ready for her. When she got to him, she thrust her blade forwards, attempting to stab him quickly, but Legolas held his bow in front of him and her blade caught on the wood of his bow. Twisting it around, he deflected her rapier, so it almost swung around to hit herself. Legolas jumped forward, looping his bow around her neck, so with one pull, he could have her dead.

"Alright," Legolas commanded, "Talk. Now." She gave a look that could be described as frightened, but still confident and she disappeared into thin air, reappearing closer to Aragorn than Legolas.

"Nice try, but you fell short, elf!" She sneered at Legolas. Aragorn still had his sword out, and the two immediately engaged in an extremely fast battle. Their strokes flew in every direction, blocking, slicing, thrusting, and hit! Slice, block, slice, hit! It was quite a fast fight. All the white, Legolas shot arrow after arrow at the dark she elf, hoping to bring her down. They all found their targets, but she still found a way to quickly bring her blade around and pull out the arrow no matter how many times Aragorn struck out at her, so she left a trail of arrows as she walked forward.

"You know about it too, don't you human?" She asked, thrusting her rapier forward, Aragorn blocked it, and swung his sword around, trying to thrust his sword at her. She blocked his.

"Know about what!?" Aragorn demanded. Swing, block, thrust, block.

"Why, about the white orb." She said, not sounding the least out of breath. Step, slice, hit, thrust, block.

"Not what it does. But I-" jump forward, jump back, jump forward at the same time, weapons clash. "-Know about it. Why!?" Aragorn demanded, sounding a bit tired now.

"Then, human, I must kill you both." She said it in a sweetly innocent tone that brought irony to her words. Aragorn sliced his sword down, she rolled out of the way, but only to get kicked into rolling some more by another person that wasn't Aragorn. Aragorn looked up to see Legolas standing there with his twin knives drawn. They nodded at each other and rushed forward. She stood up quickly, smiling. She twirled her rapier so quickly to deflect the oncoming attacks that you would think she was being overwhelmed, and she was. Taking blow after blow, hit after hit, her smile disappeared and soon she was up against a tree, Legolas' right knife plunged into where her heart should be. She did not bleed, but her face twisted in pain as if she felt his knife.

"Why do you not teleport away!?" Aragorn asked rather roughly.

"I...have to be...fully...healed to...teleport, stupid human." She got out slowly, not because she was dying, but because she seemed to be trying to hide the pain.

"She will not be happy." She said almost to herself.

"Who!?" Legolas demanded.

"Erdolliel. She..." She almost seemed to be giving information willingly, when she realized she shouldn't be.

"She what!? What is her intent!?" Legolas pressed.

"You guess...pathetic elf!" She laughed, if that was possible in her position.

"A clue then!" Legolas threatened her with his other knife.

"Soul stones. And you have her fire soul, thief!" Her voice was clearer than before, and before they could react, she kicked Legolas backwards. With his knife out of her body, she healed quickly. Before Aragorn could grab her again, she disappeared and did not re appear anywhere near them.

* * *

**Word count: 1,903! almost 2,000! K, I'm sorry, you really don't care about my word count, do you? no? didn't think so.**

**Again, I can't believe how long this turned out! OMG, YAY! Kay, I'm leaving now, so I promise an extra long chapter when I return (I know, I keep saying that...). I'm not sure I can top this one though... K, until next time, Devoted Readers!**

**Next Time: Captured (Or that's how I want it to play out) Not to mention, A really long chapter!  
**

**Oh, last thing: Thank you Purestrongpoem and gginsc. I know I should have said this a few chapters ago, but thanks to Purestrongpoem for reviewing the most and thanks to gginsc for reviewing at all. Yup, I really appreciate reviews. **

**Okay, I really should go now. Until next time, **

***Reviews Please?*  
**

***~Ynnealay ~*  
**

**~* Naamarie *~  
**


	10. Collbrandroval the Rare

**Hey, Devoted readers! I'm back from vacation! K, so as promised, I have come back with an EXTRA LONG CHAPTER! Enjoy:**

* * *

"Legolas, you are uninjured?" Aragorn turned his head, looking at where Legolas was getting up. Her kick had thrown him back quite a bit.

"Yes, hannon le. I am fine" Legolas stood and raised the blade in his right hand, examining it; it was completely clean, as if he hadn't used if at all that night. He sheathed his right blade with a look of confusion and began searching for his left.

"Legolas, mellon nin." Aragorn got Legolas' attention and the man picked up Legolas' second knife, lying closer to the tree trunk. Aragorn tossed him his left blade and Legolas caught it, sheathed it and then closed the distance between him and his friend in a few short strides.

"Hannon le." Legolas thanked Aragorn for his knife, "Who do you suppose that was?" the elf searched around with his eyes, as if she might appear again. Aragorn nodded slowly and gave the only answer he knew for certain:

"A servant of Erdolliel." Aragorn stated.

"Who is this... Erdolliel?" Legolas asked. Aragorn said the only things he knew:

"That is an elvish name." He stated.

"...It means 'Dark one' in common tongue." Legolas pointed out.

"Did you notice anything strange about her?" Aragorn asked.

"No, not anything. Except..." Legolas trailed off.

"Except...?"

"She did not seem to be real, her body was formed as if by... shadow." Legolas whispered the last word.

"She was physically real." Aragorn pointed out.

"I am aware of that." Legolas said, his mind seemingly somewhere else, "She just seemed...off."

After that, they reviewed all they knew:

1. The white orb should not be touched.

2. The red stone they possessed was most likely the fire soul stone.

3. Someone was trying to gather all the soul stones.

4. The person trying was an elleth named Erdolliel

5. Erdolliel had a strong shadow power; most likely she already had the water and air soul stones.

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

_Erdolliel stood facing a large painted picture of an evil sorceress, her hands raised in anger as water, earth, fire, and air swirled around her. Erdolliel sighed in content, this sorceress was her inspiration. Somebody came into the room._

_"Erdolliel."_

_"Yes, my servant?"_

_"Two have discovered it. I cannot fight them alone."_

_"Then gather your sisters. I made three of you for a reason."_

_"Of course. However, I sensed something they carry that you might want."_

_"What is that, dear?"_

_"Your fire soul stone."_

_A short gasp._

_"I thought I had lost that..."_

_"My lady?"_

_"Capture them. I want them alive."_

_"Yes, my lady."_

_Once she had left, Erdolliel turned to her table, on it were four pedestals, two were filled. A dark blue stone sat on a pedestal for water and a bright white one for air. What was missing was the red and green ones for fire and earth. She couldn't believe she had lost the fire soul, but now she would get it back, and then the problem became killing a wood elf without suspicion. Where would she find a wood elf? Where?_

* * *

Aragorn stood, examining the fire soul stone, now more curious than before. Legolas was leaning against the tree, examining his right long blade, still perplexed by how she could have survived his attack.

It was morning. They had both been awake since the attack, not daring to sleep. The fire had been put out, but the white orb remained on the ground.

"We have new things to think about." Aragorn stated, taking his eyes away from the fire soul stone and looking at Legolas. "We can no longer journey to Rivendell. I believe that we should find out who and where Erdolliel is. That should be our first priority." Legolas only nodded,

"I think you are right, Aragorn. However, you saw how her servant disappeared. There is still nothing to track her on." Aragorn's eyes darted to the white orb, the only object they knew that responded when touched.

"I just wish..." Aragorn trailed off.

"What?"

"I just wish there was a less dangerous way to touch that thing." Aragorn finished.

"There is not."

"I know. It is just... I cannot figure this out any other way!" Aragorn was obviously getting exasperated again.

"I will touch it." Legolas suggested again.

"No. Not after last time."

"We are getting nowhere the way we are now!" Legolas insisted, sheathing his blade and taking a step closer to the white orb on the ground.

"Legolas, don't." His tone was commanding and firm.

"Aragorn-"

"Don't even think about it." Aragorn threatened. Legolas pulled his hand back.

"How do you plan on getting anywhere, without trying to get as much information as possible from, well, all we have?"

"I'll find a way that does not involve you endangering your life. It is not worth it Legolas. Not worth it." Aragorn stared at his friend, sure his message had gotten across, but Legolas shook his head.

"I have to try." Legolas shot his hand out and put both hands on the orb.

"Legolas don't!" Aragorn ran forward in alarm as the orb started to dissolve into the elf's fingers again. Legolas' body went rigid and he started to shake.

"No, Legolas!" Aragorn tried to pry the orb out of Legolas' hands, but it was already gone, dissolved completely inside Legolas. Aragorn shook the elven prince by the shoulders. Legolas' eyes darted back and forth as if he was watching many fast objects dart back and forth.

"Estel..." Legolas whispered, "I am... Fine. Stop."

"You are not 'fine'! You are anything but 'fine'" Aragorn almost yelled at his friend. Suddenly, Legolas stopped shaking and he collapsed into Aragorn, who caught him. Legolas' eyes went wide and his body became rigid, before he opened his mouth to speak again, but never got the chance, because he suddenly went limp and his eyes snapped shut.

"Legolas!?" Aragorn called frantically, searching for a pulse and sighing when he found one. "Legolas, that was foolish. Why did you just do that? Wake, mellon nin. Saes (please)"

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

The moment Legolas touched the orb, he felt the same shock go through his body. The orb once again started to dissolve into him, but this time, Legolas tried not to fight it. His vision began to dim and he heard someone far away call his name.

"Legolas don't! No, Legolas!" Aragorn. He was sure it was Aragorn. He suddenly became aware of many things darting around in his head and he followed them with his eyes, trying to catch them all in vain. He could feel Aragorn shaking him and it was like he was in a large black room with a million things. There was a small window from which he could see the outside world. He was holding it open, but it was rapidly closing. Aragorn continued shaking him.

"Estel, I am fine. Stop." He tried to say, but it came out sounding very weak. He wasn't sure what happened next, only aware of Aragorn saying something about him not being fine. The next thing Legolas remembered was suddenly being in Aragorn's capable arms. He was about to tell Aragorn not to worry, when the window he had been holding open abruptly snapped shut and he was in the dark. He felt as if he was in a giant vortex. He was being sucked somewhere. Legolas found himself in a circular room where the floor glowed softly, illuminating the room. Slowly, the white particles from the orb appeared through the floor and they danced around in an ornate pattern. Legolas confusedly looked around; he was sure that if there was a time to get answers, this was it.

"I...demand answers!" Legolas shouted. His ears were met by a loud rushing wind, blowing past him. As the wind blew past him, some of it went through him and as it exited his body, he felt strangely empty. Suddenly, the wind swirled around again and blew the particles around in a circle. The particles piled atop each other until they formed the shape of a large glowing white eagle. Legolas gasped.

"You demand answers...?" the eagle asked without opening its mouth. Legolas was surprised to say the least; he gaped, wide eyed at the eagle for awhile in a very non-elven like manner. Legolas realized how foolish he must look and shook his head, regaining his composure.

"Yes." Legolas stated in a clear, loud voice, "Answers, I seek. I have a feeling you have answers to my questions. Will you answer me?" The eagle blinked its eyes once and nodded.

"That all depends on what answers you seek. I know not certain things, but others I know greatly. Ask away, elf, I shall answer as best I can." The eagle said, again, without opening its mouth. Legolas was happily surprised at how easily he persuaded the eagle for answers.

"Thank you." Legolas bowed his head in thanks. "My first question is: what are you? Who are you?" At this, the eagle puffed out its chest.

"I am an eagle. Or, I _was_an eagle. I am- well- was Collbrandroval the rare. That is still my name, but alas! I am no longer who I was before." Collbrandroval said a hint of sadness in his voice. Legolas was now beginning to doubt that he would get answers so easily.

"What are you now, Collbrandroval?" Legolas asked suspiciously.

"I am a spirit." Collbrandroval answered, then added, as if in an afterthought, "Forgive me, I shall explain." The elven prince nodded,

"Please do. And, as you have given your name so freely, I shall give mine. I am Legolas Greenleaf. Now, please tell your tale." Collbrandroval nodded, planning to heed Legolas' request.

"As you wish, Legolas Greenleaf. This is the tale of my undoing, of my death." there was a pause, and the tale started, "I was attacked by a hawk of shadow. Much smaller than I was she, but this shadow hawk was fast and cruel, hiding in the dark and striking when I let my guard down. I was killed without a second thought in a quick one-movement. I felt lost and in oblivion, when I felt my life energy and soul unite to form my spirit, I started to leave behind my old body and go to rest with other spirits in peace, when my soul was ripped from my life energy. I was cold and empty and felt nothing for quite some time. Then, as if being pulled out of the blackness, I felt another soul connecting through touch to my life energy. My illogical, soul-less life energy immediately tried to steal this soul in attempt to fly off with it and gain restful peace, however-" Legolas held up his hand, stopping the great eagle from talking.

"Yes, master Greenleaf?" Collbrandroval asked. Legolas spoke short, wanting to hear more of the tale;

"It was my soul you attempted to take." Legolas explained. Collbrandroval nodded.

"You have my apologies then, Legolas. I must beg your forgiveness in the matter."

"It is-" Legolas' voice faltered, realizing he may have died thanks to Collbrandroval's illogical life energy, but he realized that Collbrandroval was sincerely sorry and meant no harm, so Legolas forgave him. "It is alright." Legolas said, "Continue with the story."

"As you wish. As I was saying, I tried to steal your soul- I am truly sorry for that. Eventually though, you pushed me out. You are very strong. Then I was in the dark again until a few minutes ago, when you..." Collbrandroval looked at Legolas intently, asking the elven prince to fill in the blank. Legolas complied.

"I touched your life energy again, this time I let you in, instead of pushing you out." Legolas explained.

"Ah, that explains much." Collbrandroval said knowingly, "Thank you, master elf. Now the story goes not far from here, but here is the end: When you let me in, I gladly came, ready to steal your soul, but once I had stolen but a small bit of your soul, I found that I could re create my own from the little that I had stolen from you until I had a new soul. My life energy and new soul united and I became a spirit. I fully intended to leave and be at peace, but you demanded answers, so I stay out of courtesy. I can do only as much seeing as I stole part of your soul." Legolas understood this, and nodded understandingly.

"You may have a part of my soul, oh great eagle. I would be honored to share a part of my spirit with such a mighty creature as you." Legolas allowed.

"Are there anymore answers you seek?" Collbrandroval asked in a tone that suggested he was hoping Legolas' answer to be no. Unfortunately, that was not the case and Legolas shook his head.

"I am sorry, but I must ask you to stay and answer a small amount of more questions, for I must have my questions answered." Legolas was genuinely sorry and the eagle accepted the elf's reasons. Collbrandroval nodded understandingly.

"Thank you." Legolas said, "First, tell me about-"

"Legolas..." A disembodied voice filled the air, Legolas and Collbrandroval looked up in equal confusion.

"Legolas, please." The voice pleaded. Suddenly, Legolas recognized the voice.

"Aragorn." Legolas whispered. He wished there was a way to let Aragorn know he was alright, but this was his only chance to get answers. Knowing that he would soon lose this precious time he had with the eagle, Legolas spoke very quickly.

"Quickly please, tell me about Erdolliel, the shadow hawk and tell me what you know of this song." Legolas sang a few bars. Collbrandroval complied.

"Erdolliel you say? Well, I know little, but I know that she is cunning and swift. She uses dark trickery. As for the song, it is one only known to the darkest of elven sorcerers and the rare beings who spend time studying all magical incantations. it is sung idly by ones who practice dark magic, but it signifies that they have almost made true the legends and earned the power of the evil sorceress. From this information, I can gather that Erdolliel must be a powerful elven sorceress of the dark kind."

"I suspected as much." Legolas said to himself, "One more thing; what do you make of shadow girls that disappear and re appear at will and do not bleed when stabbed?"

"I know much." Collbrandroval said, "They are called-" But the eagle was cut off by Aragorn's worried voice again.

"Legolas, mellon nin, please wake. Please. Don't leave, not yet..." Aragorn pleaded. Legolas almost yelled up into the dark sky above them at Aragorn, but managed to keep his comments to a small mutter.

"For the Valar's sake, Estel, I'm not dead." Legolas said under his breath, but as he said this, a cold gust of wind blew into the room, lifting Collbrandroval several feet into the air.

"It is time to part now." the eagle announced.

"No!" Legolas cried, reaching out. "Collbrandroval, wait! At least tell me what they are called!" Collbrandroval flew higher as the world around Legolas grew brighter, blinding him to all but the eagle spirit before him.

"They are called shadow servants, and they do not die easily. They simply follow the orders of their masters. That is all there is time for." Collbrandroval said, rising higher.

"Please! Wait!" Legolas exclaimed.

"Last thing, master elf," Collbrandroval called down before taking off, "I believe Erdolliel has a hideout somewhere in an underground fortress near the edges of Me-" but Legolas never heard, because Collbrandroval was lifted too high out of reach by his own wings and flew off. The wind started to blow extremely violently, causing Legolas to struggle to keep upright. As the world around him grew brighter and brighter and the wind swirled faster, Legolas heard Collbrandroval's voice on the wind.

"Farewell, Legolas Greenleaf!" was the message and Legolas smiled. The smile quickly vanished as his body was swooped up off the ground and was tossed around in a swirling wind. Everything was chaotic, the noise seemingly unbearable. Legolas couldn't breathe for a few moments until everything was silent and the wind stopped. Then everything was still.

Legolas took a deep breath and then blinked his eyes open, looking around confusedly. The first person he saw was Aragorn, in whose arms he rested, and Legolas smiled in thanks at his friend. Before either of them could say anything, a soft white light glowed from within Legolas chest and Aragorn bit back a yelp of surprise when a small light exploded out of Legolas' chest and promptly flew up into the sky with the illusion of wings, disappearing very swiftly.

"Farewell, Collbrandroval the rare." Legolas whispered. Aragorn looked even more confused now than Legolas had when he had woken up.

"Legolas-" Aragorn started to say, but Legolas interrupted.

"Before you ask, Aragorn. Yes, I am fine." Legolas said, a small smile playing on the edge of his lips. Legolas looked around for a few moments and then asked, "How long was I unconscious?" Aragorn looked surprised and relieved now and answered quickly, with confused surprise evident in his tone.

"Five, maybe ten minutes." Aragorn answered. "You stopped breathing for some time, mellon nin. I thought I had lost you." Aragorn's face showed concern, despite Legolas' quite sincere assurance of being fine.

"You did not, Estel. I am still here, with you." Legolas said comfortingly. Aragorn sighed and Legolas began to stand up, slowly climbing out of Aragorn's arms. Once out of the man's arms, the elf stood up and looked down at Aragorn, still sitting on the ground. Legolas offered him a hand up and Aragorn took it, marveling at the irony in the situation of being helped up by an elf that had been previously unconscious.

"Do you care to tell me what happened?" Aragorn inquired, "You could not have simply been oblivious to everything. Did you get any answers?" Now, Legolas looked slightly annoyed.

"I was getting answers, until you woke me up." Legolas stated, "However, yes, I got plenty more answers than we had to start with." He seemed pleased.

"What did you find out?" Aragorn asked. Legolas was in no way careful about the little information he had received. He recounted his short encounter with Collbrandroval and Aragorn nodded thoughtfully through Legolas' tale.

"She is a shape shifter then." Aragorn deducted at the end of his friend's tale.

"From what I have gathered." Legolas confirmed. "As he left, Collbrandroval said that he suspected her hideout to be somewhere on the edge of someplace." Legolas stated. Aragorn gave Legolas a quizzical glance. Since when did Legolas give such vague recollections of places?

"Somewhere, Someplace?" Aragorn asked, skeptically.

"Sadly, he did not finish his sentence before I was awoken." Legolas didn't say it, but Aragorn knew he wanted to continue '...by you.'

"Forgive me." Aragorn said, and the fact that Legolas didn't ask for what just proved that Legolas had wanted to continue.

"What were his exact words?" Aragorn inquired.

"He said: I believe Erdolliel has a hideout somewhere in an underground fortress near the edges of Me-" Legolas repeated.

"That does not help us." Aragorn said. "I want to know which direction to head. Sitting here accomplishes nothing."

"I agree." Legolas said, "However, I have a suggestion. I suggest we head in the direction of the mountain Methedras. It may have been what Collbrandroval was referring to, and we have no other better, more proven places to go." Aragorn was not happy about heading in a random direction without more than the two first letters '_Me_' that matched the word Methedras. The thought of heading off in what could be the wrong way was not that appealing, but there was nowhere else to go other than home. So, Aragorn thought, I will agree with Legolas.

"Then it is decided." Aragorn agreed, "We will head for the mountain Methedras." For once, they had a plan, and they were going to stick to it.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

_"My sisters, gather around and hear what I have learned." The shadow servant who had attacked Legolas and Aragorn whispered. Two more, identical to the first appeared. There were now three shadow servants standing in a circle._

_"What have you to share with us, dear sister?" The second said._

_"Much. Two have found the white orb and we have orders from Erdolliel to capture them alive, for they posses her lost fire soul stone." Said the first._

_"I shall go to scout them out." The third offered._

_"Do not attempt to capture them alone, sister. Just go to find their location and come back with information." The first commanded. For the first seemed to be the leader._

_The third nodded, "That will not be a problem." She gave her two sisters a mischievous smile and disappeared._

* * *

**Here are a few notes: **

**A little bit of Skyward Sword (Legend of Zelda) reference in there- Collbrandroval is a (mind you, _very_ rough) elvish translation of 'Crimson loft wing': **

*** Coll = Red, **

*** Brand = Lofty, **

*** Roval = wings. **

**And I have him named Collbrandroval the rare because in Skyward Sword it is said that Crimson Loftwings are _very _rare and Link is one of the first to get one. Okay, ignore my Legend of Zelda references. Also, Erdolliel is a name I got off this website and the translation really is 'Dark one' **

**Yes, Methedras is an official place in Middle Earth. K, no more notes.  
**

**Next Time: Another fight with some shadow servants and a creepy glass cage.  
**


	11. The Calm Before the Storm

**Yes, I know, what a cliche title, but never mind. Just read.  
**

**Hey, _Echil pent nin _[Followers of my story]! Here is the next chapter, sorry it went back to being regular length for me (and so therefore shorter than my previous chapter). Here is another boring-ish chapter, but it's a set up, I promise you an action packed battle sequence in the next chapter, and you can hold me to my word- I swear on Sauron's ring that the next chapter will be more action-y. So, anyway, Enjoy! (BTW, does anybody know the elvish word for 'Enjoy'?)  
**

* * *

Even though walking with nothing eventful happening was not particularly enjoyable, it was a welcome change from indecision and walking in silence, and ignoring one another and it was far better than battling for their lives. Now, they walked beside each other, happily talking about different things, and about what to do with Erdolliel once they caught her. Legolas and Aragorn were quite content at the moment. They were unaware of the shadow servant stalking them.

The third shadow servant was creeping through the bushes, searching for the two that they had orders to capture. A voice caught her attention, more specifically, a name.

"...Erdolliel..." it was Legolas' voice, but of course, she didn't know that. Her gaze flickered up to in front of her and she disappeared, teleporting into the tree tops to spy from above.

"Have you ever heard of an elven sorceress with the name of Erdolliel before, Aragorn?" Legolas was asking.

"Nay, Legolas. I know as much as you. Why did you think otherwise?" Aragorn replied.

"You travel far more than I, Aragorn. I hoped you may have-" Legolas stopped mid sentence, stopping his stride too and bringing them to a halt. Something had caught his attention, a rustle in the tree beside them. He raised his head searching around them and took out his bow, should he need to use it, but there didn't seem to be a need, because there was nothing around. He was about to relax his guard, when he saw something-no- someone in the corner of his eye, watching them. She looked exactly like the shadow servant who had attacked him and he spun around, an arrow already notched and he fired. The arrow flew straight, but it hit nothing and in an instant, nobody was there.

"Legolas?" Aragorn questioned, having followed the arrow's trajectory only to see it hit nothing.

"The shadow servant." Legolas said in a low tone. "We must move, she is following us." He resumed walking, but now at a brisk pace. "Be on your guard." Legolas said.

"I always am." Aragorn replied.

* * *

The shadow servant saw the arrow coming and disappeared, appearing on the ground behind the tree just in time to avoid the arrow. The arrow came flying down from the tree and she caught it, mid flight. She glared at the arrow in her hand and broke it in two, throwing it onto the ground in disgust.

"If I did not have instructions _not _to attack them now..." she muttered to herself, angrily. That archer was too good. She snarled under her breath and made her way back to give her report.

* * *

Ever since Legolas' warning, they had both been alert, keeping their voices low as to hear anything coming. Legolas was distant, keeping his attention divided, and sweeping the vicinity with his senses at all times. Aragorn kept his hand on his sword hilt, ready to draw it at a moment's notice; his eyes searched their surroundings cautiously, seeing into every dark corner and every bush. The air was tense. Aragorn walked in front and Legolas just slightly behind him. A bird flew overhead and let out the high whistle of its kind. Both of them were startled by the sudden noise and looked up, their minds becoming sharp and their hands closing in on their weapons, ready for battle. But no, it wasn't the shadow servant, it was a bird, and they sighed and put down their weapons.

"This is too suspenseful." Legolas commented, returning an arrow to his quiver.

"I know, this is not a good way to travel." Aragorn replied. Legolas swept his gaze left and then right, before replying;

"I agree. Perhaps we could-" However, Legolas, who was quite used to being interrupted in the middle of his sentences by now was cut off again, by the shadow servant who had originally attacked them. She dropped down right in front of them, making her rapier out of thin air and then she lunged forwards, aiming for Aragorn's arm. She aimed to injure now, not kill. The skilled swordsman instinctually brought up his own sword and blocked hers, giving her no chance of hitting him. She tilted her head to one side, giving the impression of curious amusement that you would see a child have towards a beetle they had trapped in a jar and she smiled demonically again.

"Remember me, human?" She said with threatening sweetness. Aragorn glared at her. They brought their swords about, and their weapons clashed. Her thin rapier was surprisingly strong for such a small weapon. She managed to twist Aragorn's blade out of his hand and he dropped it in the dirt. He leant to retrieve if, but the tip of her rapier under his chin stopped him. She made him stand and face her and she re asked.

"Remember me, human?" she asked, shooting a cold glint in her eyes at him. It was a game for her, she wanted to know she had made an impression, and wanted him to admit it to her. Aragorn saw through her game and decided not to give her the satisfaction of winning it.

"I cannot say I do." Aragorn replied, lifting his head a little higher trying to get out of her blade's reach. Legolas took a step forward, but she glared at him, and the elven prince took a step back.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk..." she scolded, pressing the tip of her rapier closer to Aragorn's throat, "You wouldn't want to get any closer, not if you want to kill your friend." She threatened Legolas in the same tone a mother would use to warn her children not to get to close to the fire. Legolas glared at her, clearly conveying the messages 'The moment I see you let your guard down, you are dead.' and 'don't you dare harm him!' She only gave him a mock hurt look.

"Do not tell me that you do not remember me. We had such fun, too..." She pouted, looking at Aragorn again.

"I remember you." A voice drew her attention. The voice, of course, was belonging to Legolas. He had used her lapse in concentration on him to load his bow and had it pointed at her head. The glare she was getting from the archer was murderous and it conveyed the message; 'I can kill you, despite the fact that you can teleport. I can kill you in a second and I will.'

"Oh!" She exclaimed in mock delight, "So you remember me. How wonderful!" Legolas' glare intensified.

"Yes. I remember you. I almost killed you. I can do it again, only this time, there will be no 'almost'" Legolas stated. He refused to pretend to be delighted and play her game. "Enough with your games." Legolas commanded.

"Oh, I am sorry. Have you forgotten..." She took her blade away from Aragorn's throat, but before he had a chance to react, she shoved him against a tree, bashing his head into the hard bark. Then it was her turn to have no time to react. Six arrows, fired in rapid succession, pierced her head and it seemed she had finally been killed. She dropped her rapier and it disappeared into thin air as quickly as she had made it. Her eyes went wide and she fell to the ground. Aragorn looked at her body, kicking it away in disgust and he stepped forward, away from the tree and picked up his sword and sheathed it, all the while rubbing his neck.

"Aragorn, are you-" Legolas asked.

"-Alright? Yes." Aragorn answered. The two walked slightly away from the body, Legolas looking over Aragorn to make sure he wasn't hiding anything. Suddenly a voice from behind them caught their attention.

"Dear sister!" the second shadow servant cried. Aragorn and Legolas turned. She gracefully almost floated out from her hiding place in the bushes and swept down, kneeling beside her fallen sister. She was followed close behind by the third shadow servant who could scarcely be seen as she seemed to walk carefully and completely silently in areas that would best conceal her. They knelt down in front of the first shadow servant, killed by Legolas and examined the arrows protruding from her head. The prince and the ranger watched on in a mixture of confusion at three identical figures, horror at the thought of two more enemy fighters as good as the first, and curiosity at the genuine compassion between the three 'sisters' that appeared to them as only minions; small pawns on a large board.

After examining the damage Legolas' arrows had done, they determined it was not severe. They yanked the arrows out and in no time, they had the first on her back, gasping for air after healing herself.

"What-!" the first exclaimed. The moment she had awoken, Legolas and Aragorn drew their weapons, ready for battle. The three shadow servant sisters now stood in a line, facing the ranger and the archer. Legolas and Aragorn stood in a similar but opposite position, in a line, weapons drawn. The three shadow sisters carried no weapons, but that would soon change. The first re made her classic black rapier and it was soon solid in her hands. The second made a long stick appear in her fingers, it was thin and smooth. You couldn't tell what color it was, for in originally it seemed sleek black, then in another light it shone silver, yet in another it was clear, un-colored glass. It was a magic wand of sorts, and it was made clear that she intended to fight with magic. The third twirled her wrists around and brought up two short daggers, not unlike Legolas' twin knives.

All opponents stated at each other, soundlessly glaring. All weapons ready, they faced off without a sound. The calm before the storm.

* * *

**Well that's it, I hope I wrote a good cliffie (Maybe I was horrible at it) But, anyway, school starts back up on Tuesday, so chapter updates should be coming a little slower after this- NO! I really wish school wouldn't start, but it will, no matter how much I wish against it. So anyway, please stay with me, maybe review? Saes? No? K then. See you next chapter, echil pent nin. :P**

**-Ynnealay  
**

**PS. And again, I promise an exciting fight scene next chapter, I'm working on it, okay.  
**


	12. To Capture, Not Kill

**Hey, ****echil pent nin**! Oh, sorry... am a bit late with this update? oh, what the heck, I didn't keep track. Ah, in case I am late, I'll save the A/N for the end. Just read:

* * *

Nobody made a move; everything was still, until the first shadow servant made the first move. The first shadow servant ran forward, her path leading directly to Aragorn, as she saw him an easy target. She had, after all, just had him by sword point. Her two sisters followed her, but she waved them away.

"I got the human!" she ordered, "Get the elf!" the two remaining sisters nodded once and headed towards Legolas. A series of fights ensued.

Aragorn brought his sword up, intending to decapitate her, and she danced out of the way with short pixie-like movements. She ended up behind him and she lunged at his legs, but he turned just in time and jumped out of the way of her strike. She stood straight and lowered her rapier, holding her free hand out in a taunt.

"Keep trying, human. I'm open for attack." She taunted. With a battle cry, Aragorn came forward, brandishing his sword with masterful skill. His first strike came inches from her face before she raised her own rapier and deflected it quickly. He swung his sword back, ready to strike again. Every slash he executed never found its mark as she nimbly dodged left and right or disappeared and reappeared on the spot. Battle was a game for her, and she enjoyed playing it. As was the information she had previously given them. She saw no harm in giving them 'bits' as she called them, of information. Keep them guessing, keep the upper hand. All these thoughts ran through her head as the battle between her and Aragorn raged on.

Meanwhile, Legolas fought hard too. The two sisters split off from the first and ran at him. The second walked slowly and gracefully, seemingly floating. Legolas loaded his bow and shot at her, but she raised her wand and every arrow hit a shield of black glass. The elven archer continually shot. Growing from the tip of her wand, the glass strengthened and his arrows were useless. She got closer and with slow flourish, lowered her shield. Legolas took the opportunity to shoot another arrow at her, but she turned aside, taking only a minimal step as the arrow flew just past her harmlessly.

"Are you not going to taunt me for missing?" Legolas demanded, once she had turned back to facing him.

"My sister is a fool. She taunts, I get the job done." The second shadow servant replied. Her voice was like dark red velvet. Legolas nodded in acknowledgment and drew his twin knives, stepping forward. Her wand grew at the ends until it was a long staff. She twirled it up, and a dark cloud formed around the edges of her stick. As she spun it faster, the cloud became a large disk and she took it off the ends of her staff, holding it in her hands. Dark purple clouds steamed off the disk of dark magic she held and she threw it like a frisbee towards Legolas. He raised his elvish long blades in a cross in front of him to protect himself from the attack. It hit his blades and he stumbled back a little, his arms almost giving under the pressure of the attack. The force of the hit had been large. Legolas took a deep breath to calm himself and he ran towards her, his two long blades ready. She raised her staff and deflected his first attack of plunging his knives downwards. She raised her staff over her head and turned it so one end was facing Legolas and she thrust it forwards, into his stomach and he fell backwards.

Aragorn had recently temporarily given up on getting any offensive hits in for now. Her attacks were coming so fast now, that he had no chance to block them. Aragorn had his sword raised in defensive posture, trying in vain to shield himself from the oncoming attacks. Her rapier filled his vision and all he was focused on was deflecting the blade off his body. Every couple of strikes, she would get a hit. It was not going well for Aragorn.

It was not going well for Legolas either. The moment he got up, he was beaten back down by a-pointy? Yes, pointy end of her staff. It now seemed to be a kind of spear. A dark magic orb started to grow on the non pointy end (the end pointed away from Legolas) and soon it was a large ball of darkness. The orb then fell off the tip of her spear/staff but remained attached by a dark black chain, she now held a mace. She brought it around like one would wield a mace and she swung it around, ready to slam the ball of dark magic towards Legolas' stomach. Why does she not aim for my head? Legolas thought, it would be much more efficient to kill me if she aimed for my head. However, thoughts about her technique were really not relevant at the moment. Legolas had seen maces before, but not ones with orbs of dark magic on the end and he really did not want to find out what the damage was after getting hit by dark magic orbs vs. regular maces. As the mace got closer to Legolas, his battle instincts took over. He rolled out of the way as the mace stuck the earth, sending a flurry of dark purple sparks flying from the soil, and he leapt up, slashing her back with his knives. She turned around and the mace shrunk back down, a simple staff once more.

An attack from the left came at Aragorn and he raised his sword for the millionth time, deflecting her blow. _I must get out of this defensive position!_ Aragorn thought, _I must get an attack in_. He knew he couldn't withstand another attack; he was already bleeding in many places, not life threatening injuries, but still. It was only a matter of time before she killed him or injured him badly enough to threaten to kill him in exchange for anything. Versus the shadow servant, who was unscathed in every way. Just then, in the split second of time as Aragorn' and her weapons clashed together, did he see his chance. Aragorn poured all his strength into his sword, pushing her backwards and she looked horrified for a second as she was thrust back, losing her balance. He continued to advance and the two engaged in even battle once more. What was better was that Aragorn was winning now.

Legolas interchangeably slashed with his right knife and then his left, also advancing on his opponent, gaining the upper hand. As he found that he had more time to think, he began to wonder where the third shadow servant was...  
He was snapped out of his thoughts by a hard blow to his arm by his opponent's staff. His attention was regained. Legolas swung over his left blade and caught the staff on the edge of his blade, flipping it up and out of her hand and sent it sliding across the ground. She didn't show any emotion, except maybe boredom and exasperation at herself for letting this happen. Legolas soon saw that taking the staff out of her hand has been useless, as it disappeared as quickly as the first's rapier had when it had dropped. However, the second shadow servant only made another staff grow in her hands. The elven archer was about to attack again when he sensed someone behind him. _Ah, there is the third shadow servant._ Legolas thought. He quickly threw his left knife into the chest of the second shadow servant, and she dropped her staff, falling to the ground and gasping in pain as she clawed at his knife, seemingly unable to tear it out of herself for some reason. Legolas turned just in time to see what he had predicted- the third shadow servant right behind him. He brought up his right knife to engage her in combat, but she blocked his attack with her two knives that, up close, looked exactly like Legolas' only made of dark, almost black wood for the handles and a blade that reflected the darkest of nights deep into the universe.

Aragorn had her backed up against a tree and knew what was coming next. He quickly thrust his sword forward, but it was too late. She disappeared.

Legolas was rather surprised, fighting with someone armed with the same weapons as him was quite different, and he hadn't done it in quite awhile. Not since about two thousand or so years ago while training with his blades. Also, she was challenging, as she fought with two knives, and Legolas only one. However, he was backing her up, and he was sure he was going to win. Legolas had her against a tree, the same position Aragorn had previously had his opponent, but Legolas had her trapped and incapable of teleporting the moment his single knife entered her body. She looked terrified, like a child who was meant for small errands, not war, and who had just been killed in a battle they were never meant to fight. But behind the facade, Legolas could see her sharp features glaring at him, telling him that he had made a mistake in attacking her.

She re appeared moments later, behind Aragorn, her rapier still in her hand. She was sure to be quiet, until she was right behind Aragorn. Then, she spoke.

"Watch out, human." She mock warned. Aragorn turned too late and the blunt handle if her rapier came down on his head, sending him into oblivion. His limp body fell in front of her feet and she smiled, pleased with herself. She had won.

Legolas continued to hold his knife in the third shadow servant's body, watching her not die and trying to figure out a way to make her die, when the second shadow servant, who he thought was still on the ground, snuck up behind him and cut a deep, long gash on the back of Legolas' legs with the pointy end of her staff, which had turned into a spear again. He screamed in surprise and hurt, falling to his knees. She cut his arms too, not in terribly injuring places, but in the places it would hurt most terribly, making sure that Legolas could not use his arms. She tied him up with Legolas' own vine rope and removed the knife from her sister's body. Legolas struggled against the tight ropes, marveling at the skill in knots the shadow servant seemed to have.

"You will pay for what you have done." Legolas glared menacingly at the one who had tied him, well, them, now that Aragorn's unconscious body was tied as well.

"Tell me what your master's plan is!" Legolas demanded, "I edict!"  
He exclaimed. The first shadow servant strolled up to Legolas, putting a finger on her chin.

"You want information? Ah- let us see, shall we? Well. I will give you a clue..." She was playing another game. The second shadow servant stepped in, putting a silencing hand on the first's shoulder.

"Sister-!" said she, her voice commandingly sweet. "He needs no more information, you have already given him far too much." the first gave the second a look of annoyance.

"I was just- he will not shut up unless I-" She began to say, but the second just walked up to Legolas' struggling form.

"Allow me." She said, and with that, she crafted a large black glass ball, very heavy and dropped it on Legolas' head, effectively knocking him out.

"It was just a game!" insisted the first, not as annoyed as she put on, but she sighed, defeated. "What do we do with their weapons?" She asked, picking up Aragorn's sword and Legolas' knives. It now seemed as if the second shadow servant was the leader.

"Keep them well, dear sister. We head for the dwellings of our lady, Erdolliel. Now." Then, the second started to walk off. The first carried their weapons and the third dragged Legolas and Aragorn after her sisters.

* * *

**Okay, so I did the most idiotic thing this summer: I brought my IPod on a boat. The purpose of me telling you this is that my IPod is now broken and will likely never work again- ever. I'm not going to go into detail and bore you, but you can guess what happened to break my IPod beyond repair. So, as I have said before, my IPod is basically what I work off of when writing and now my story is gone. Well, I didn't have too much saved on it anyway. **

**Next thing: School started, and I have one word to say: No. just, no. I wish school didn't start. :( So, now I have no time to write during the day because of school or at night, since I'm not allowed to use the computer later than 9-ish and i would usually write on my IPod later than 9:00pm. Aaarg! My fanfiction world just got a whole lot more difficult. **

**Well, please ignore my personal rant. Just read and review please. :P**

**And now that my life just got complicated, you can expect updates once every week instead of once every four days, as I have less time to write. Sorry. **

**********Namárië, ********echil pent nin**!  


**-Ynnealay **


	13. A Cage of Black Glass

**Whoa, am I actually on time with this update? K, read on:**

* * *

Aragorn shook his head, not exactly getting where he was, but he felt slightly dizzy and disoriented. As he looked around, he realized that both he and Legolas were hanging upside down in a tree, tied all around with rope. Aragorn sighed, how often had he found himself bound with rope attached to a tree in one way or another. From the looks of it, Legolas was still unconscious.

"Legolas." Aragorn called softly, in case their captors were still close by. The elf blinked his eyes open and took a few moments to evaluate their situation. He said something quietly under his breath that only Aragorn, the ranger with excellent sight and hearing, could hear.

"Valar, how many times have we found ourselves tied to trees by ropes?" Legolas muttered, somewhat sarcastically. Aragorn smiled, for that is what he had been thinking just moments ago.

"Too many times to be good, mellon nin." Aragorn replied equally quiet, knowing Legolas could hear. Legolas smiled back at his friend, it really was odd that he could smile in this situation, but they had been tied up to trees so many times and sometimes it had been much worse. The two turned to the sound of voices, all the same, but with different tones to them- the three shadow servants. If they listened, they could make a distinction between the three as they talked. It seemed the three of them were behind a cluster of bushes and trees, blocked from view, but defiantly not from hearing range.

"We got lost! I knew we were going the wrong way! It is all your fault, excellent job!" It was the first's voice, she was being really sarcastic.

"It is not my fault. If you had noticed we were going the wrong way, why did you not correct me?" the second said calmly, but with a most annoyed undertone in her voice.

"How dare you blame this on me!" the first demanded angrily.

"Stop this childish bickering!" the third voice was quieter, but quick to command and overly capable of doing so. "We are all used to teleporting back and forth through places, now we cannot, for we have prisoners. Can you not stay here while I scout ahead?" the third continued. A chorus of positive comments was heard at this suggestion, followed by a chorus of agreement.

"Stay here with the prisoners." commanded the third "I shall be back within the hour." They heard no more from the third, but they assumed (reasonably and correctly) that the third had teleported away to scout ahead like she said she would. After a few minutes of silence, Legolas decided it was safe to talk without missing anything, at least quietly.

"Aragorn, are you alright?" was the first thing Legolas asked.

"Yes, Legolas, hannon le, I am unharmed. Mostly." Aragorn said the last part more to himself as he felt the very minor, non life threatening pokes and cuts all over his body from the times her rapier had gotten lucky. "Are you uninjured as well?" Aragorn asked. Legolas heard the quiet 'Mostly' come from Aragorn, but he chose to ignore it, as he himself had a couple cuts. There were the slash marks on the elf's arms and legs from where she had cut him to disable him temporarily, and a large bruise forming on his stomach from where she had thrust her spear into him. Most of these small wounds had healed, thanks to Legolas' elven healing, so he mentioned none of these.

"I am fine as well. Mostly." replied Legolas. It did not escape the ranger's notice that Legolas ignored his 'Mostly' and added his own. So, Aragorn granted the elf his ignorance.

"Do you have your sword?" Legolas asked. Aragorn wriggled his hand free enough so that his wrist could twist around a bit. He tried to free more if his hand, but it was no use. However, he could reach his scabbard and Aragorn reached for it, and found, as he suspected, that his sword was gone.

"No, unfortunately. My sword is taken." Aragorn replied. Legolas was a little disappointed at this, but knew he should have seen it coming.

"Can you tell if I still have my bow and arrows?" Legolas asked, concerned about his bow first. Aragorn tried to turn so he could see where Legolas kept his quiver, and succeeded.

"Yes, you have your bow and arrows." Aragorn replied, and then noticing the absence of the beautifully carved handles of Legolas' twin knives, he said, "However, I think they took your twin blades." Legolas sighed, not happy with losing his close combat weapons and only knives, as arrow heads do not cut well.

"Alright." replied Legolas, "You still have your daggers, though, do you not?" Aragorn couldn't even tell. His hands couldn't reach down into his boot and even if his dagger hadn't been touched, it would have fallen out after they were hung upside-down.

"I am not sure, Legolas." Aragorn replied truthfully, "I may yet still have the knife in my belt though."

"Try and reach for it." Legolas said, "Even if I were to free part of my hands, these knots are too tight to untie, and arrow heads would do no good in cutting myself or you free. This is my rope, and I made it well. I think I would find it too strong to cut without a proper knife." Aragorn knew what Legolas said was true and tried to reach his knife, which was right next to his sword sheath anyway. Unfortunately, it was just out of reach. He could touch the handle of it if he stretched his fingers, but could not pull it from its sheath.

"Can you reach it?" asked Legolas.

"Not quite." replied Aragorn, "I can almost reach-" The two shadow servants left, after the third had left to scout ahead, appeared right in front of Aragorn and Legolas and examined their bound forms hanging upside down in a tree. The first looked very amused and trying to hold back laughter. The second seemed to be examining the strength of the rope and the in-escape-ability of their trap, then deeming it not acceptable, spoke.

"Sister, the prisoners are awake." She stated.

"Yes, and?" the first replied, "I suppose you are finally thinking of untying their legs and making them walk? It was far too troublesome to drag them when I switched with our other sister." Legolas and Aragorn glared at the first

"If it so troublesome to drag us..." Legolas said.

"...Why not let us go?" Aragorn finished.

"No." was the simple answer, coming from the second shadow servant.

"No?" Aragorn, Legolas, and the first shadow servant said at the same time.

"No to releasing us or..." Legolas said.

"...No to making them walk?" the first shadow servant finished.

"I deem this level of confinement unacceptable. I suggest a cage." the second explained.

"Where will you get a cage?" the first demanded in a 'you're an idiot' tone.

"I will conjure one out of shadow, you imbecile. However, I must drop into a meditative state to keep up the strength of the cage." said the second.

"Well then, by all means-" the first waved her hand out towards Legolas and Aragorn.

"Alright." the second said, "When I go into my trance, I will follow you blindly, just make sure not to do anything stupid. And, if I am awakened from my trance, the cage will break- so do not try to break me from my trance, lest the prisoners escape. Now, I will attempt it." the second closed her eyes and started to chant a slow song in what sounded like very old elvish. The bonds tying Aragorn and Legolas to the tree snapped, but they did not fall, instead they floated in the air. A small thin sphere of black glass appeared floating around the elf and the man, and it slowly thickened. The second shadow servant's eyes glazed over and her body relaxed and the chant stopped flowing from her mouth. Legolas and Aragorn fell from their position in the middle of the glass sphere and landed hard against the black glass, all their bonds immediately snapping off, so they sat untied in a floating black glass sphere. Legolas blinked and shook his head, examining the black glass and noticing Aragorn doing the same.

"Aragorn, what is this?" Legolas asked, running his fingers over the cool glass. It was cold to the touch and extremely smooth.

"Something not easily broken out of." Aragorn answered, having taken out the knife from his belt. As he had suspected, the dagger from his boot was gone, most likely fallen out while they were being dragged or hung upside down. The ranger had tried to scratch the glass with his knife and hadn't left a dent.

"Well this is different than ropes." Legolas stated. Aragorn nodded in agreement. As the two contemplated how to get out if this new cage, the third shadow servant re appeared beside the first shadow servant. Strangely enough, Legolas and Aragorn couldn't hear more than a few muffled voices coming through the glass. However, from the movements and looks on the two sisters' faces, the first was explaining the new cage and the third was explaining their route after having found the way.

The two sisters and the second, who was in a mindless trance and following the first without question, set off again, but this time with fully conscious prisoners in a floating glass sphere as oppose to being dragged on the ground by ropes.

* * *

**Till next time, ********echil pent nin**. Please review. :P


	14. Seemingly Impenetrable

**As school drags on, I am loaded down with more and more homework. Ah, well, this story is the only motivation I have to keep doing my homework. I tell myself once I finish my school stuff, I can write (which is what I really want to do). So, here - on time (I think) - Is the next chapter, a result of many hard lauboring hours of homework. Enjoy, Echil pent nin.**

* * *

Legolas was grateful for the fact that the cage was made of glass, for even with the black tint, light got in and he could see outside.

"How do we plan to escape from this?" Legolas tapped at the glass. Aragorn shook his head,

"I know not, mellon nin. This is-" Aragorn pulled back his knife and stabbed it into the glass. The glass only sprung back and sent the knife flying out of Aragorn's hand backwards. Legolas instinctually shot out his hand and caught it before it could do any harm and handed it soundlessly back to Aragorn.

"-impenetrable" Legolas finished Aragorn's sentence.

"Not impenetrable." Aragorn said, searching the glass for any imperfection, "There is always a weakness to every cage." Legolas sighed, doing the same but knowing that it was unlikely they were going to escape so easily.

"Let us hope that is true." said Legolas.

They travelled through the day, still searching in every possible way for imperfections. Legolas and Aragorn both tried breaking it by force of weapons multiple times, but nothing worked. Eventually, Legolas put his hands down and sat against the wall, having given up.

"Legolas, what are you doing? Help me find a way out of this!" said Aragorn, having seen Legolas give up.

"I cannot find any imperfections at all. I suggest we give up for tonight." Legolas said, dejectedly.

"We cannot give up hope." Aragorn insisted.

"I am not giving up hope, Estel." Legolas said, his voice giving away nothing, "I am merely pointing out that it is late-" Legolas glanced quickly at the stars, "-Nearly midnight, and you should rest."

"I was unconscious for half of today." Aragorn stated, in an impatient tone.

"Estel, just listen to me."

"I am."

"Just give up for today. Go to sleep."

"Legolas-"

"I will keep watch if you wish." Legolas offered. Aragorn didn't know how the elf was talking him into this. If anything, Aragorn should be keeping watch.

"I don't think-" Aragorn tried to speak, but Legolas cut him off.

"Do you trust me?" asked Legolas. Aragorn was rendered speechless at this question to which there was only one answer.

"With my life, gwador nin **[My brother (sworn)]**. You know that. But-" Aragorn was cut off again.

"So sleep, Estel." Legolas said. There was finality in his voice, a tone that meant 'end of conversation'. Aragorn relented, trying to find a comfortable spot on the floor of the glass sphere.

"I do not know how you always end up treating me like a child, Legolas." Aragorn grumbled.

"Because you _are _one to me, child." Legolas replied jokingly with a small laugh.

"I am _no_ longer a _child_, _Little Leaf_." Aragorn joked back. Legolas only laughed quietly.

"Sedho. **[Quiet.]**" Aragorn said, ending the conversation. He closed his eyes, trying to listen to the annoying elf and get some rest. As Aragorn tried to rest, Legolas whispered something, trying to getting the last word.

"Good night, _tithen _Estel **[Little Estel]**." Legolas smiled.

"And to you, _Little Leaf_." Aragorn said, and then pretended to fall asleep to save himself another of Legolas' comebacks.

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

The night passed long and the hours dragged by. Legolas was amazed at how the shadow servants traveled through the night at a constant pace, while never seeming to tire at all. Not much of the scenery was different; there were always close packed trees and shadows. As the night wore on, Legolas doubted how long a night could be. _Is this really how long night should be?_ Thought Legolas, _It seems much longer than I recall._ At one point, the elf looked up into the sky and caught a glimpse of the stars and the beautiful sky and imagined the crisp night air outside, he longed to be free of this cage, perhaps he should have let Aragorn keep searching for a way out, he didn't know...  
Seeing the last view of the stars as the sphere was pulled away, Legolas realized that from the time Aragorn had fallen asleep to the approximate time of sunrise, half of it was up and even though they hadn't arranged a watch schedule, Aragorn would want to be awoken to let Legolas rest. The elf looked at the uncomfortable looking position Aragorn was sleeping in and mentally groaned, he doubted he would get any sleep in this hard glass cage. He decided to let Aragorn sleep and keep watching. He didn't know what he was watching for, as they were already in a cage, but he had told Aragorn he would keep watch, so he would.

Another hour passed, and another. Legolas caught himself letting his mind wander into dreams and he shook his head to keep himself alert. He hadn't realized how tired he was, but Legolas considered that it was natural, since he hadn't slept last night. Still, he kept awake and a few more minutes passed. Again, Legolas caught his mind wandering and his eyes started to become unfocused as they would in sleep. He shook his head and realized he couldn't keep this up for much longer.

"Aragorn." Legolas whispered. The ranger was awake in a second. He noticed Legolas sitting close to him and raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"I am surprised, Legolas." Aragorn said.

"Why would that be?" Legolas replied.

"You usually stay up all night if you can unless we have set a watch schedule." Aragorn stated. Which was true. If it was just the two of them, Legolas would always try to take over Aragorn's watch.

"Well if you wish to sleep-" Legolas started, until Aragorn looked at him in realization and cut him off.

"You are weary, mellon nin." It was a question and a statement at the same time. Legolas was about to deny it, but couldn't, for he was more tired than usual.

"I am only slightly tired. It is not-" but Aragorn was already sitting up.

"Sleep, Legolas. I will watch the rest of the night." Aragorn said. Legolas didn't protest, a rarity for him, but the elf was unusually tired and tried to get to sleep, which he found surprisingly easy despite the uncomfortable cage.

"Hannon le." Legolas said as he fell asleep. Aragorn smiled and replied;

"Just sleep, _Little Leaf_." Legolas scowled slightly at the name and whispered one last thing;

"Do not call me that." Aragorn smiled and rephrased what he had said;

"Sleep, Legolas, mellon nin." said Aragorn, but Legolas was already asleep.

* * *

**More elvish in this chapter than usual, my new format for that will be: **

Elvish words here **[And then English translation here, in bold bracket thingies] **

**Anyway, I hope that you are enjoying this story. Please stay and review.  
**

**Naamarie, Ynnealay :P  
**


	15. Curious Captors and an Escape Attempt

That night passed without any mentionable events. Aragorn stayed awake for the few short hours left in the night until the sun rose. They had been moving for so long that when they suddenly stopped, Aragorn was startled and he jerked his head up, wondering why they had stopped. He turned to Legolas, still sleeping and furrowed his brow; Legolas was usually awake by now.

"Legolas." Aragorn said. Legolas blinked once, and looked around, disoriented and seemingly still half asleep and not yet awake.

"Legolas?" Aragorn said again, a questioning tone in his voice. Legolas blinked some more and shook his head and looked around again, now completely alert.

"Forgive me Aragorn, did you say something?" Legolas asked.

"No Legolas, I said nothing but your name to awaken you, however..." Aragorn didn't know what to say, it wasn't unusual for someone to be tired in the morning, but Legolas was usually fully alert the moment you called his name in the morning, and that was on the rare occasions that he even needed to be woken at all.

"You- is everything fine?" Aragorn settled on the generic question. To be honest, Legolas had felt a bit tired out in the morning, but he was sure it was just because he wasn't comfortable sleeping in a spherical hard glass cage.

"I was simply a little tired, if that is what you were referring to. Do not worry. I'm fine." Legolas answered, and then after noticing their stationary position "Why are we stopped?" Aragorn shook his head,

"I do not know." Aragorn said, "I woke you _because_we stopped." Legolas nodded.

"What are the shadow servants doing?" Aragorn asked, crawling over to the side of the glass where they could see the shadow servants. Legolas followed, peering out of the dark glass.

"The one is making rope out of some dark material that seems to be coming from nowhere." Legolas stated.

"And the second is still in a trance, holding up the strength of this cage." Aragorn added.

"The third is, well, she is coming towards us with the rope." Legolas warned Aragorn. Sure enough, the third held a long coil of black rope and was walking towards them. When she got to the cage, she put her hand up to it and passed right through wall of it as if she were made of air. Legolas and Aragorn watched her glide through the wall until she was in the cage with them. Automatically, Aragorn lunged forward at her with his knife and attempted to kill her. She disappeared and his knife hit the glass, once again bouncing and flying out of Aragorn's hand. Legolas caught it again and handed it back to Aragorn.

"Hide it." Legolas whispered, "Do not attack again." Aragorn nodded and sheathed the knife. When the shadow servant re appeared, she looked at them in disgust.

"No need to be aggressive, human." She said, quietly and in an annoyed tone, "I am here to let you out." Aragorn looked at her suspiciously.

"You are letting us go free?" He asked, knowing the answer was most likely 'no'

"No." was the answer, "I am tying your hands and then letting you out."

"Why are you letting us out?" Legolas asked.

"We may be your captors, but that doesn't mean we have to be cruel. We are letting you eat outside, three times a day. Plus, Erdolliel has shown a preference to breaking strong willed creatures. She had lots of fun with that eagle; we hope to please her by bringing you strong and healthy." She said the last part as a threat, to frighten them about what was coming, but it only gave them more information.

"We are being taken to Erdolliel." Legolas whispered to himself, so quietly that only another elf sitting right beside him could have heard.

"Enough with the explanations. Hold out your hands." She said.

"And why would we let ourselves be bound willingly!?" Legolas demanded.

"If you do not, you do not get a chance to go out." she replied. Aragorn glared at this answer, it gave them no choice. Legolas nodded at Aragorn to hold out his hands and Aragorn looked back at Legolas in annoyed confusion,

_'Why?'_Aragorn conveyed silently.

"Just do it." Legolas said aloud. Aragorn grumbled a bit, but he held out his hands to be tied and tried to keep his hands far apart to give himself slack for later if they needed to escape. It didn't help; her knots were extremely tight, tighter than anyone had ever tied Aragorn before. The rope was cold and it numbed Aragorn's wrists a bit, but soon he was completely tied by his wrists. There was a long piece of rope attached to Aragorn's hand bonds, which she intended to tie to a tree. Then it was Legolas' turn. He held out his wrists and she started tie him. As soon as the rope touched Legolas, he felt a small prickling feeling all around where the rope touched his wrists; it was painful, but extremely bearable compared to the injuries he had had before.

"Now don't think about trying anything." the shadow servant commanded once they were both tied. To make sure that they didn't try anything, she took the pieces of rope hanging from their wrists out first and securely tied them to a tree outside. Then, she grabbed both of the ropes and pulled them hard. Legolas and Aragorn were pulled forward and they toppled out of the cage, landing in the dirt.

Picking themselves up, the prince and the ranger were pleasantly surprised. Legolas breathed in the fresh air and felt more energy than he had felt in awhile, while Aragorn ran his hands softly over the plants, happy to be out in the wild again. They both saw the shadow servant standing in front of them and Aragorn looked over at Legolas, holding up his bound hands for Legolas to see and raising his eyebrows in a silent question;

'_We are tied now, but outside. What was your plan?' _The look in Legolas' eyes was enough to convey his command;

_'Run.'_was Legolas' message. Aragorn paused for a moment in hesitation and then ran forward and punched the shadow servant as hard as he could and kicked her down. She was unprepared for such an attack and she fell backwards.

"Aragorn! Follow me!" Legolas called, he was already in the opposite direction, running towards and past the tree their hands were tied to. Legolas got to the tree and saw how they were tied; the ropes around their hands had long leads that were tied around the wide trunk of a tree. The knots around the trunk seemed simple enough and Legolas quickly reached forward to undo them, but the moment he touched them, his fingers were met with a stinging cold and he pulled back his hands, exclaiming in surprise. Aragorn was running up to Legolas with the first shadow servant on his heels.

"Legolas! Untie the ropes! Do it!" Aragorn shouted as he looked behind him. Legolas attempted to touch the ropes again, but this time the cold stung even worse and he had to pull his hands away again.

"I cannot!" Legolas replied frantically. The Aragorn and the shadow servant were only a few steps away now and Legolas dropped the ropes, running to meet Aragorn who was running towards him.

"You try!" Legolas said quickly as the two passed each other. Aragorn was puzzled, but ran to the ropes and put his hands on them, trying to untie them. A numbing cold, the same numb cold in his wrists, seized his fingertips, but he kept pulling at the too tight knots. The rope would not give.

Legolas ran forward to meet the raging first servant, not clear on what he intended to do. Legolas instinctually tried to take out him bow, but found he could not, for his hands were bound. She hadn't even crafted her rapier and obviously she wanted to fight him hand to hand, seeing as he had no accessible weapons. Legolas was fine with her wanting hand to hand combat, and he didn't even try for his knives, knowing they were taken. His first swing was aimed up for her head, but she ducked and punched him in the face. Legolas threw her a kick, trying to knock her on her back. She jumped out of the way of his attack and gave him that demonic malicious smile of hers.

"You can't win." She scolded, "Not with your hands tied like that" Legolas looked down at his hands, attached to rope and looked up, deciding to use his bound hands to his advantage. He stood in front of his opponent and faked an attack, punching for her left side. He anticipated her reaction; she dodged to the right and attempted to hit him on that side, but Legolas ran around her and looped his hands around her so she was tied in the same rope around his hands.

"Have you forgotten I can teleport, elf?" She asked in a slightly amused voice.

"Hardly." Legolas said. He reached up with some difficulty to grab an arrow, but at the same time, pulled the rope tighter around her body. He plunged the arrow just below her shoulder, that being the easiest place to reach.

"Aragorn! Have you untied it yet?" the elven archer shouted to his friend. Aragorn hadn't made a dent in the tightness of the knot. He simply answered,

"No!" He said. By now, the third shadow servant had gotten up and she stalked over to them, knowing that she would win. Legolas could not let go of the first shadow servant he was holding and Aragorn was busy trying to free himself and Legolas. As soon as the third shadow servant got to Legolas, she pulled the arrow out of her sister's arm and the first shadow servant teleported away. The third shadow servant punched Legolas in the face and sent him sprawling backwards. Immediately, Aragorn dropped the ropes and rushed over the Legolas.

"That was an ill conceived plan." the third simply stated. With that, she threw them back into the glass cage.

* * *

**I am _late_! By Elbereth, I am sorry, which is why I saved the Author's Note until the end so you could just read first. So all I have to say is: I am sorry for the delay (although it's not as late as some stories I have read) and I thank all the crazy people who not only _like_ my story, but then put up with my short chapters and sometimes lateness. **

**Seriously, I have had no time to write lately, seriously, none. I just spent a little while after my homework writing this because I had completely forgotten to update through all my crazy homework. Well, I hope you enjoyed it. Review please?**

**-Ynnealay  
**


	16. What is Wrong With Legolas?

They were frustrated, confused, annoyed at being contained and all around not in a good mood. The shadow servants kept walking on throughout the day and to Legolas and Aragorn's surprise, they were let out again around lunch, despite their escape attempt earlier that day. This time, they tried no such thing and quietly ate the meat they were supplied for lunch. Their captors were truly complicated. As the two shadow servants talked amongst themselves, Aragorn and Legolas talked too, in hushed voiced, as far away as their hands bound to a tree would allow.

"What do you make of this, Aragorn?" Legolas asked, more confused about a captive situation than ever before.

"I know not what to make of it." Aragorn replied, "So far, everything they have done after out imprisonment seems to be kind enough."

"The food is even decent." Legolas stated, holding up the finished bone of meat he had just eaten, that is, he ate it only after examining it for about an hour to make sure it was not poisoned. Aragorn nodded in agreement.

"We still do not know exactly what Erdolliel is planning to do with us, or what the shadow servants are planning to do with us. We must escape. But how?"

"I do not know yet." was Legolas' reply. "However, I am certain that Erdolliel wants the power of the sun, moon, and stars. She is trying to collect the element souls." Suddenly, a look of alarm passed Aragorn's face and Legolas looked curiously concerned for what Aragorn had discovered.

"Aragorn? What is it?" Legolas asked.

"Do we know if Erdolliel has the earth soul stone yet?" asked Aragorn, still tense with alarm.

"No. Why?" Legolas replied.

"I do not know how I did not see this before." Aragorn started, seemingly recalling something from the past, then he uttered the words that chilled the wood elf's heart; "To collect the soul of earth, she must kill a wood elf."

Legolas sat there, just considering his friend's words. Then, he spoke;

"Or ent." Legolas said.

"An ent?" Aragorn questioned.

"An ent. To gain the earth soul stone, she must kill either a wood elf or an ent." Legolas said.

"Legolas, what are the chances that she managed to kill an ent?" Aragorn stated.

"I will go by your philosophy, Estel." Legolas said, "There is always hope." Aragorn sighed and smiled sadly at his friend, he knew that it was unlikely that she had killed an ent- the old creatures of legend.

"There _is _always hope." Aragorn repeated.

"Alright, prisoners!" exclaimed the first shadow servant, "Time to go back into the cage!" She came round the tree trunk and gave them her malicious smile. Soon enough, they found themselves back in their cage.

`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'`'~,*,~'

The shadow servants walked some more hours away before stopping and letting Aragorn and Legolas out for dinner. Again, the friends were puzzled at their captors *kind* behavior. And again, they didn't try to escape, only walked as far as they could from the shadow servants and ate and talked in hushed voices. After about two hours, they were shoved back into the cage and the journey to Erdolliel's dwelling continued.

That night, as the sun set, Legolas tentatively said his friend's name.

"Aragorn?" said Legolas, Aragorn turned his head to look at Legolas, for he had been watching the shadow servants.

"Yes Legolas? Why do you say my name with such hesitation?" Aragorn questioned.

"Is watch necessary?" Asked Legolas suddenly. Aragorn was not sure where Legolas was going with this, but answered all the same.

"Well no, but I prefer to have at least one of us watching our enemy." Aragorn answered. Legolas looked like he wanted to say something else, but stopped. His eyes would not meet Aragorn's.

"Legolas, look at me." Aragorn commanded. Legolas met his friend's eyes. Aragorn studied Legolas and saw in his eyes an unusual weariness. Legolas looked tired out. Completely.

"You are very tired, mellon nin." Aragorn stated. The elf tore his gaze away from Aragorn and dropped his head.

"I was going to ask if you could take first watch." Legolas stated. Without hesitation, Aragorn answered as if he had long decided his answer before Legolas had spoken.

"Of course, Legolas. Sleep, I will wake you when it is your turn if you wish." Aragorn said. Legolas smiled and looked relived at this, automatically laying down where he could.

"I wish it. Hannon le, Aragorn." Legolas said, and he wandered off into the realms of elven dreams.

Aragorn had had no trouble staying awake for the night, although it was a boring night. They journeyed through the thickly woven woods, as it was in Fangorn forest. The night was dark, as no light filtered in from above. He couldn't even see the stars. However, the shadow servants seemed to have no trouble navigating in the dark. Even though Aragorn could not see the stars, he kept track of the passing hours until half the night was up. The ranger looked at Legolas, still deep asleep. He wished to continue watch all night, but decided to stay true to his word and wake Legolas. After all, if he didn't, what would Legolas say in the morning?

"Legolas." Aragorn said. The elven prince didn't even stir, which was somewhat concerning.

"Legolas." Aragorn said again, louder this time. Legolas drowsily blinked his eyes once and looked around in a disoriented manner, then his eyes glazed over and he went back to sleep. Aragorn furrowed his brow in a mixture of confusion and concern. Shaking the archer gently, Aragorn attempted to arouse his friend again.

"Legolas, get up. Awaken, mellon nin." Aragorn said, still gently shaking the elf. Legolas blinked a few times, and took a deep breath, waking up a bit. Aragorn stopped shaking him and the elf shook his head, trying to pull away from the tendrils of sleep and mumbled something.

"You did not drug me, did you?" the elf mumbled his question, looking at Aragorn. Aragorn shook his head immediately, unsure where Legolas thought he had gotten the plants to do so and how he would have gotten them to Legolas and why he would drug Legolas in the first place.

"We were not attacked, were we? And I was not knocked unconscious, was I?" Legolas said a bit clearer now.

"No." Aragorn answered, again, unsure about where Legolas got this idea.

"Then by the Valar," Legolas said, sitting up, "Why am I so tired!?"

Aragorn shook his head, "I do not know." The man answered, despite the fact that the question was obviously rhetorical. "Are you okay, Legolas?" He asked cautiously. For once, Legolas didn't answer with 'fine'

"For now- yes." Legolas said, rubbing his eyes. The healer in Aragorn told him to press the issue, but he didn't, instead he grudgingly accepted the elf's answer.

"I was going to wake you for your watch." Aragorn said, "The night is halfway over, but if you wanted to rest-"

"No, I am fine. I will take my regular watch." Legolas said quickly, shaking his head. Aragorn hesitantly nodded and lay down.

"Alright Legolas, but wake me if anything happens" said the ranger. Legolas nodded in acknowledgement.

The night passed slowly, and Legolas kept awake far easier than the previous night, but his mind was slow at first and he still didn't understand why Aragorn wanted him to watch somebody who had already captured them. As with Aragorn's watch, nothing of interest happened as they continued their journey.

When the sun finally rose, Legolas didn't even need to wake Aragorn, as the ranger was already up and it annoyed Legolas that he had needed wakening and Aragorn didn't. The elf knew something was wrong with him, he just didn't know what…

A few hours after Aragorn awoke; they were let out for breakfast and again at lunch. At dinner, Legolas and Aragorn overheard the shadow servants talking and heard that they were to arrive at Erdolliel's home in a week. The days passed in a dreary routine after that, with the shadow servants walking ahead and letting their prisoners out three times a day. Every time they were let out, the two quietly tried to devise a way to untie their ropes and escape; Aragorn even managed to reach his dagger once and attempted to cut the ropes, but the dagger turned black on contact and shattered, so then they had no weapons, but Legolas' bow and quiver full or arrows, which were useless with their hands tied. Legolas wondered and worried every day that the shadow servants would take his bow, the only weapon they had left- but they never did.

But even without his worries of his bow being taken, Legolas' weariness increased every day until Aragorn had to take full watch to let Legolas sleep, and the ranger would sleep during the day in between meals. Even with a full night's rest, Legolas slept later every morning and Aragorn could not wake him. Aragorn couldn't figure out what was causing Legolas' energy drain and couldn't figure out why he hadn't been experiencing the same thing. It was truly worrisome and troubling.

* * *

**Nothing to say. Please Review - :P**


	17. Dark Magic

One day, the day before they were supposed to reach Erdolliel's home, the sun rose and Aragorn was still awake. _I should wake Legolas _Thought Aragorn, _Will he wake though? I suppose I should try_. He turned towards Legolas and startled, looking closer in concern, Legolas' eyes were _closed_. It was very little that Aragorn saw Legolas asleep with his eyes closed. Elves usually sleep with their eyes open, unless they were injured or extremely tired. To see Legolas with his eyes closed in sleep was a sure sign that there was something very wrong. Aragorn tentatively put a hand on Legolas' shoulder, shaking the elven prince.

"Legolas, wake up." Aragorn said. All he wanted was for Legolas to wake up and tell him what was wrong or how he felt, but Legolas was too still.

"Legolas, wake up _now_." Aragorn tried again, not a move came from Legolas. Aragorn shook his head in dismay; Legolas was as still as if he was dead. The only thing to prove he wasn't dead was the fact that he was breathing, very shallowly though. By chance, Aragorn looked up and noticed the third shadow servant walking up to them with that black rope, coming to tie them and let them out for breakfast. The ranger increased the speed at which he shook the elf, trying desperately to wake him.

"Legolas! I need you to wake up _now_!" Aragorn nearly shouted, "Now, Legolas! Can you hear me!?" The shadow servant came through the wall of the cage and looked upon Legolas with curious concerned look.

"Has your friend not awakened yet?" She asked in genuine curiosity to Aragorn.

"What did you do to him!?" Aragorn demanded. The shadow servant looked horrified, as if she thought she had accidentally killed him, and she shook her head. There was no hidden emotion behind her horror, it was real.

"Nothing, honestly. I didn't realize- I didn't think-"

"Just let us out." Aragorn commanded, looking darkly at her.

"I'm sorry." She grumbled, tying up Aragorn's hands with a black rope that had already been attached to a tree and pushing him out. The man looked back at the cage containing Legolas' unresponsive body and the shadow servant, who was tying his hands, even though Legolas was unconscious. When the elf was pushed out of the cage, Aragorn ran forward to catch him and Legolas' body landed in Aragorn's arms. Purposefully, Aragorn brought Legolas' body the farthest he could from the view of the shadow servants and started to lay him on the ground against a log, but halfway through lowering the elf, Legolas opened his eyes slowly, taking in his surroundings. Yawning, he shook his head and furrowed his brow in confusion;

"What- What happened, Aragorn?" Legolas asked, "Why are we outside? How long was I asleep?" Aragorn was just happy to see his friend conscious and didn't answer for some time, until Legolas prodded him again.

"Aragorn?" the elf asked

"Yes?"

"What happened? Why am I on the ground?" Legolas repeated.

"I could not rouse you. You were deep asleep. They let us out anyways." Aragorn stated. Legolas sat up against the base of the tree, holding up his bound hands.

"They bound me while I was still unconscious?" Legolas asked suspiciously.

"A wise precaution on their part, seeing as you did awaken once outside." Aragorn replied, "Though not good for us." Now Legolas could not ignore it, there was something wrong with him.

"What is wrong with me?" the elf shook his head, "I have been too tired to be normal. What is wrong with me?" Legolas continued shaking his head sadly. Aragorn, always wishing to have answers to his friend's questions, immediately started thinking aloud:

"When did you start to feel overly tired?" the man asked.

"A few days after we were trapped in the cage of dark magic, why?" Legolas replied. For once, Legolas wished that Aragorn would just come right out and say things instead of asking a bunch of questions that didn't give Legolas a clue to what he was thinking.

"I just think-"Aragorn stopped mid-sentence, "Wait, what did you just say?" the elf looked at Aragorn suspiciously and Legolas confusedly repeated himself;

"I said; A few days after we were trapped in the cage of dark magic." The elf said.

"Dark magic…" Aragorn repeated, "Yes, that is it, dark magic!"

"What about dark magic? And why have you not been suffering from whatever affects I'm sure you think it has?" Legolas half demanded.

"I believe that it is the darkness in the magic that is used, Legolas. It must somehow be draining your energy. As for why it is not affecting me, my only guess is that you are and elf and I am not. I am not sure why that would make a difference, though." Aragorn stated.

"Dark magic is draining my energy!?" Legolas repeated, shocked and confused. "Then you would advise I do everything in my power not to come in contact with that cage again?"

"I would advise that." Said Aragorn. Legolas stared at Aragorn doubtfully.

"How do you suggest I go about doing that? We are forced to enter the cage again after each meal. Speaking of which, where is our food today?" But he had spoken too soon, for just then, some questionable looking bread and some unidentifiable – but cooked meat – was thrown at them. Even with their tied hands, the two caught the food just fine, although both pieces of bread had been thrown in Legolas' direction and he caught both.

"I have naught any idea; just try not to touch the dark magic too much." Aragorn offered unhelpfully.

"Aragorn, the whole cage is made of the dark magic. Even the floors." Legolas stated. Absent mindedly, Legolas kicked up a stone and sent it flying towards the cage, not waiting to see if it hit, because he knew it had. "This situation-! Valar, Aragorn, how do we get out of this one?"

"I know not, mellon nin." replied Aragorn. "Perhaps we could-"

"I heard talking!" The first shadow servant interrupted, walking through the bushes towards them. "I thought my sister said you were unconscious." She said to Legolas, "Apparently I was informed wrong." Her voice turned sour. "Well, breakfast is over. Back in the cage!" She grabbed Aragorn and put him in the cage, he didn't struggle, but when she came for Legolas, he made a considerable attempt to escape. He struggled against her grasp and knocked her to the ground.

* * *

**I had almost no time to write, so I'm sorry. I should have more time to write this weekend so- actually, you know what, never mind, because I can't promise anything. Thanks for sticking by me. :)**

**-Ynnealay  
**


	18. A Mysterious Hole

"You cheat!" She screamed at him, although her insult was of a more playful tone than an angry one. Running at him, she got ready and that demonic smile of hers appeared on her face. He shook his head, _why had he started to do this? It was a stupid plan._ Running against a tree, he flipped over and kicked her again as she ran at him.

"Oh, you want to play, elf? I'll play!" She laughed, "But I'm not going easy on you this time." Then, her rapier. _Of course_, thought Legolas, _always her rapier_. She charged at him and he turned briefly towards the tree, it was the tree their ropes were tied to and he quickly touched it.

"_There is no time to explain, but I require your assistance_." He thought to the tree. With that, he climbed up, swiftly although tied. As he reached the top, he saw the shadow servant disappear and he knew she would soon reappear quite close to him.

"_This is where I need your help._" He told the tree through thought "_I beg that you impede my enemy_. _Please_." When she re appeared a few meters below him, the trees branches moved to try to block her from climbing any higher, but she just teleported some more and ended up beside him. He climbed higher and she followed too closely for the tree to do anything. They got to a thick branch that overhung and let them stand. She swung her rapier and he held his hands up in front of him, just catching the tip of her blade with the rope binding his hands and swinging it out of her hand. It fell to the earth below. Of course, it did nothing, as she could rematerialize another one in her hand – which she did.

"Pathetic." She insulted sourly, pouting as if she had just discovered that he was no fun to fight with. Legolas backed up a bit more before he was stopped by his hands and almost lost balance. The long rope tied to the tree and attached to his wrists had run out and was now pulled tight he almost lost his balance when his hands were suddenly pulled forwards.

Down below, Aragorn watched on with growing horror and amazement, cursing himself for being trapped inside the cage while Legolas was at least a few feet in the air fighting without a weapon he could use. He watched as she advanced on the elf prince, not jabbing or anything with her rapier, but dancing it around his head to confuse him. _No_, thought Aragorn_, Legolas, why did you do this?_ She caught the rope binding Legolas and pulled it in erratic directions, trying to make him fall, and it seemed that at any moment, he might. _Stay balanced, Legolas _Aragorn silently coached.

So far, Legolas had stayed upright, despite her attempts to pull him down. His concentration was at a pin-point focus, making sure to shift his body weight in the opposite direction she pulled the string.

_Left, right_

_Left, right_

_Right, left_

He was doing alright so far. In fact, it was getting quite easy and the superior balance that came with being elven showed its worth. Legolas let his focus stray a bit, and it proved a mistake. He wasn't quite sure what had happened, but he was falling through the air towards the ground. He assumed he had finally lost his balance and fallen. Odd, it seemed to Legolas – falling from a tree – as he had never fallen out of one before, but then again, he had never fought in a tree either. He tried to right himself and land on his feet, but the sudden drop had caught him unprepared and the ground was rushing up too fast. He hit the ground hard, although making no sound.

Aragorn had watched Legolas' fall, his horror increasing every millisecond he watched his friend fall to the ground. The impact was the hardest, seeing Legolas in a heap on the ground. _Get up, Legolas, get up_. Aragorn shouted at Legolas in his mind.

Legolas opened his eyes quickly and shook his head, getting up quickly, but as soon as he stood, the shadow servant was directly in front of him, she pulled back her fist and punched him hard. For someone of her size, she had a strength that surprised Legolas. Her hit had him reeling backwards until he fell to the ground once more. Everything was too bright and sounds came to him in blurry jumbles, his sense of direction was off- he was starting to doubt that it had been just a simple punch. Perhaps dark magic was at work, it was certainly more than possible. She ripped the rope tying him to the tree off the tree trunk and seized him by his arm

Dazed, Legolas was roughly dragged back to the cage of dark glass and thrown in without being untied.

"Did you learn your lesson, elf? I _always_ win." Sneered the first shadow servant. Of course though, Legolas couldn't hear her, as the cage walls distorted sound. Even if the walls had let in sound, the elf wouldn't have heard her anyway – his head was still fuzzy and confused. Slowly, the world came back into focus and he could hear a voice and was aware they were moving again.

"Legolas, are you okay?" Aragorn questioned. It took Legolas' muddled mind a few seconds to process the question before he answered.

"I am fine." A wry smile.

"Could you not just answer with a simple 'yes'? Your use of the word 'fine' does nothing to reassure me at all." Aragorn said.

"Oh? Well then, yes."

"Yes what?"

"I am fine." Legolas smiled triumphantly and Aragorn gave Legolas an annoyed look.

"Truly, I am unharmed." The elf continued.

"After a fall from-" Aragorn stopped to estimate the distance from the ground to the branch from which Legolas had fallen, but as he looked out the side, he noticed a hole. There was an almost perfectly round one inch hole in the wall facing the tree. Sticking his hand through, he noticed the edges were soft, as if they had been melted through. Immediately, questions sprung into the man's mind; what had caused this hole? Could they escape through this? _What had caused this hole? What?_

The most prominent question hovered on the edge of his lips, but he did not speak it, instead, he said;

"Legolas, look at this."

* * *

**Here is the new chapter! Late, I'll admit, and shorter than usual, but at least I posted it. I'm working on the newest chapters, so stay tuned! :) Thanks again for reading. **


	19. Escape Into Thorns

The elf turned suspiciously when he heard Aragorn's question, not knowing why he would need to look at the distance from which he fell. Legolas didn't turn, only spoke;

"I know, Estel, it was a long fall."

"No, look- there is a hole in our cage." At this, Legolas' attention was drawn. He would have been able to stick his slender arm out of the cage had he not been tied, but he could only observe for now.

"A hole." Legolas stated. His head turned to the floor and to his and Aragorn's surprise, they saw a round stone, shaped similar to the red glowing stone that had started the adventure, but this one was freezing to the touch and almost anti-glowed, making everything around it dark. When Aragorn touched it, he suddenly felt a bit more tired.

"How did this get here?" he mused. Both he and Legolas immediately knew it was one of the blue, empty stones that must have absorbed the dark magic of the cage.

"The only empty stones I know should be in the area are the ones in-" Legolas' eyes went wide and Aragorn raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"What?"

"-my pocket." Legolas finished. "I had some spare blue stones in my pocket." Reaching into his pocket with some difficulty due to his bound hands, Legolas pulled out a cool blue stone, exactly as it had been when they found it in the cave and Legolas took a bunch. Aragorn immediately took the stone from Legolas and then looked back and forth between the bonds on Legolas' hands and the stone.

"If I am right," Aragorn said, "The ropes they have been using to tie us are made of dark magic, so this should work." Holding the stone right up against the bonds on Legolas' hands, he tested his theory and it was proved correct. The ropes around the elf's wrists dissolved and soon the stone in Aragorn's had had turned freezing cold. He dropped it suddenly, shaking his hand out as if it had just been shot through with a freezing cold, which it had. Legolas meanwhile was rubbing his wrists after having been untied.

"The blue stones, they absorb any energy, even dark magic, and so- they should be able to melt holes in our cage." Aragorn said, "Legolas, how many more of those stones do you have?" Legolas checked his pockets at pulled out five more stones.

"Five." He answered.

"Well then, we should start wearing away at this cage at once." Aragorn decided. "There is nothing to wait for, so we must escape as soon as possible."

There was no need to test whether it would work, since they had already observed that just by touching the black glass, the blue stone would absorb quickly enough to be shot right through the wall. They both grabbed two stones and began quickly scrubbing them over the floor like rags over a dirty table and sure enough, they ended up with four dark magic filled stones (which they dropped as soon as the stones turned too cold to handle) and a hole in the floor big enough for Legolas to climb through and just big enough for Aragorn to follow. Not unhappily, Legolas found no need to use the fifth stone and he kept it in his pocket hoping it would prove its use when the time came.

It was then time for them to jump out of the hole and make their escape. Unfortunately, they found that the walls of the cage must have distorted more than just sound. They were floating much higher than they and also moving much faster than they had thought. It was a good twenty five feet down to the ground, not the ideal distance to jump while moving.

"Regardless of the height and speed, we must leave now." Legolas stated, knowing they shared the same thought on not wanting to jump outright.

"I know." Was the reply.

"I will go first, you follow." Legolas commanded. "We run for the trees left." He turned to look at the man's face, making sure he'd heard. Aragorn nodded.

"Let us hope this goes well, although with our luck, it will not." Said Legolas, then without another word, he jumped. The height seemed taller and the fall seemed quicker than he had anticipated, but he leapt forward onto his hands and rolled, executing his escape perfectly and making not even a rustle. Looking behind him, he was surprised still at how fast the cage containing Aragorn was moving. It seemed every step the shadow servants took was worth twenty and the ground moved beneath their feet at an unnatural rate. He quickly sprang up ran as quietly as he could towards the cage, deciding that by the time Aragorn jumped, they would be too far from each other. He had to run as fast as he could to keep up with the cage until he was right under it.

Aragorn saw Legolas under the cage and knew he was running at top speed, it was time to jump. Aragorn jumped out of the hole him aim slightly skewed off to the right to avoid hitting Legolas, who was just underneath him (had Legolas known Aragorn jumped purposely off center to avoid him, he would have moved). For Aragorn, falling was never fun- or easy. Legolas had made the landing look simple, and he tried to replicate it, succeeding halfway, to the point where he landed and rolled, but not quite as gracefully as Legolas had and he made a muffled thud as he hit the ground. They hoped the shadow servants wouldn't hear, but even the quietest of sounds was heard. The shadow servants halted and turned their heads simultaneously. All four of them froze and looked at each other. The first shadow servant smacked the one who was still holding the cage's strength up and she immediately snapped out of her trance, the rest of the cage shattering. Now three shadow servants faced Legolas and Aragorn, one looking pleased and ready for a fight, thinking it would be fun, the other two looking not so pleased and very angry, ready to kill the escaped prisoners if it had been up to them. After a moment of still silence in which tense air hung around all living beings, Legolas broke the silence with one word.

"Run!" shouted the elf. Aragorn didn't need to be told twice, he and Legolas took off sprinting to the left direction for the trees. Legolas ran and shot his bow, at the same time, aiming as best he could while sprinting as fast as he could. One of the shadow servants teleported right in front of Aragorn's face and made a grab for his neck with her bare hands, but he punched her hard, making sure he had knocked her out cold before sprinting off again.

"Run for thicker woven areas." Aragorn told Legolas, hoping that if they were in a patch of closely woven foliage, the servants would not be able to teleport in on them. Legolas dived to the right, into a patch of thorn bushes, and Aragorn followed. The patch was at least twelve feet tall and the two had to push straight through the thorns, delving deeper to escape their pursuers. Legolas' quiver got caught in one of the thorns, but it was empty anyway, so he threw it off and kept running. His bow the next moment caught on another vine of thorns. Being no use without arrows, Legolas threw off this bow too.

They didn't know just how they did it, looking back on the experience, but they finally escaped the shadow servants and it seemed Aragorn had been right, they couldn't – or wouldn't – teleport into a thick thorn bush.

Once they were deep enough that Legolas was sure they had lost their enemies, he risked a quiet mutter, as he ducked under a particularly large thorn covered vine, only to be stung by a thousand others down below.

"Valar, I hope these thorns aren't poisonous." He carefully brushed a smaller thorn covered vine out of his path – which he was making, as there really wasn't a path at all to follow. `

"You are the one who dived in here, oh greatest of The Eldar." Aragon said the last part sarcastically, while pulling a thorn out of his skin.

"You did not have to follow me in." Legolas retorted

"Legolas, you know I would follow you anywhere."

"As I would to you." They stopped walking so Legolas to give Aragorn a smile.

"So, brilliant elven prince, tell me, how did you suppose we were going to get out of here?"

Legolas turned and kept walking forward, "I was hoping you would tell me. It was you, intelligent lord of the Dúnedain, who told me to dive for 'thicker woven areas'"

"I did not mean _thorn_ bushes."

"Well, we are in here now."

"_Excellent._" Aragorn replied sarcastically.

* * *

**Yay! I finally got them out of the cage! (Although I did shove them into a thorn bush...) Anyway, I didn't keep track of when I was supposed to update, so this might be late, but I have no clue. Sorry if it is...**

**Next Time: Insight into what's happening in Erdolliel's home**

**Until next time, Echil pent nin  
**

**-Ynnealay  
**


	20. Erdolliel's Fence

**Hello, echil pent nin! I'm back! Small note before I start; _italics_ now mean "meanwhile" and are happening at the same time, but in a different place. Enjoy:****  
**

* * *

_In Erdolliel's Home… _

_The pleasure was evident on Erdolliel's face. The dark sorceress had been in a good mood ever since she sent her servants to catch the two unlucky beings who had found her fire soul stone. She was sure that her servants would do an excellent job capturing the two. Come to think of it, she had been too hurried in her desire to claim back her fire soul stone that she hadn't even inquired about the race of these two beings… _

_Once the two beings were brought to her, she would have the fire stone, and then all she needed was the earth stone. Killing an ent was sure to be difficult, due to the fact that she had never seen an ent in her life and it would be complicated to find one. It would _have_ to be a wood elf. She deeply hoped that both or at least one of beings who had in their possession her fire soul stone was a wood elf. It would make things so much easier. Although, of course, she couldn't set her expectations too high. _

"_My lady!" a cry erupted from the previously closed door that had now been thrown open. The three shadow servants were all rushing in at once. The second-made and more mature one (the one who preferred to fight with magic) in the lead. The other two were trailing close behind, all three of them wearing looks of distress of some sort on their faces. Erdolliel's good mood sank, already displeased by the looks on their faces. _

"_What. Happened?" She said, her words clipped. _

"_They - well…" The one in front began. _

"_What. Did. You. Do." _

"_They escaped, my lady. Forgive us, your ladyship." The servant bowed her head low, obviously ashamed. Erdolliel seemed very angry at first, but she soon regained her calm and asked monotonously;_

"_Which way did they go? Where were you when they escaped?" _

"_Well, my lady, there was a large patch of thorns, and I think-" She was cut off, however, by her master, she was now wearing an amused smile. _

"_My servants, have you _never_ entered my dwellings without teleporting?" All three of them shook their heads, _

"_No, my lady. We have only ever entered through teleportation." _

"_The main _physical_ entrance to my home is a secret door guarded by a large patch of thorns. Were you near here when they escaped?" The three nodded yes._

"_Well then no doubt they are in my fence at this moment. Once they get through it, I will have them. You are foolish servants," She chided, "but you got the job done. Now, leave me." They all left, obviously relived none of them were fired (and by fired, they meant killed). Erdolliel, meanwhile, was back in a pleasant mood, awaiting the arrival of her soon-to-be prisoners._

* * *

It seemed as though the forest of thorns went on forever. Legolas and Aragorn had only been walking – or rather, being shredded to ribbons – for about twenty minutes, but it seemed like hours, as every step shredded them more. They were both bleeding already, although, they both assured each other that it looked far worse than it was. Mostly just minor cuts had resulted in their trek through Legolas' expertly chosen route, but that was it, and they were both immensely glad that the thorns hadn't proved themselves poisonous. Yet.

"Can you see an end near?" Aragorn asked.

"No, I am sorry; I can only see thorn covered vines. They are woven too thick together." Replied Legolas.

"Excellent. Things just keep getting better."

"How many times must I apologize for diving in here?"

"You never apologized once."

"Well, I am sorry." But Legolas' apology seemed not needed the moment he spoke it, as then the two stepped out of the large patch of thorns. They found themselves in the middle of what looked like a large dome of thorns. They were in a circular space, bordered by weaved thorn vines and carpeted in fallen leaves, although neither the elf nor the man could guess where the fallen leaves had come from, as even the roof above them was made of woven thorn-covered vines. In the middle of the circle, however, stood a thick-trunked tree that stretched high enough to break through the dome of thorns. Only the trunk could be seen, though and it was too wide to stretch their arms around.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

_Erdolliel could see the two beings outside her doorstep with her mind. She could see that they had made it through her fence of thorns and they were now examining her tree, the one that housed her secret door. Only, she couldn't see the full scene. Seeing wither mind was not a gift that she had been born with, and so, as a result, if she reached out to see things with her mind, the world appeared dark and shadowy, with all living things appearing as vague white outlines, like a blurry black and white moving negative of the scene. She dropped the picture in her mind and refocused on the real world in frustration – she still couldn't figure out what race these two were. With a wave of her hand, she opened a door outside, waiting for them to come in, although she stopped watching them – for the moment. _Well, _she thought,_ I will find out soon enough what race they are.

* * *

"I have deep suspicion of this tree." Legolas stated, walking around the tree.

"As do I. what does it say?" Aragorn replied. The elf tentatively stretched out his hand, his long slender fingers finding their way into the texture of the bark. The tree was silent.

_Greetings. _Legolas thought, _I am Legolas. Who are you?_

Still, nothing. The tree remained silent. Legolas closed his eyes, trying to hear the tree's voice better, but it was like listening to the air on a cold night in the middle of the mountains alone. Eventually, he started to release his hand from the bark, but as he did so, a thin crack appeared on the bark in the shape of a doorway, just tall enough for Legolas if he ducked. The elf pulled his hand back quickly and stepped away. The bark swung open to reveal the trunk was hollow.

"What did you do? What did the tree say?" Aragorn asked.

"Nothing. I did nothing, it said nothing." Legolas replied, puzzled. They did not know, of course, that Erdolliel had opened the door for them on purpose.

"Shall we step inside?" Legolas inquired.

"We do not know what danger lies within, but yes." Aragorn said, walking closer to the door than Legolas.

"I will go first." The man ducked under the door frame and found himself staring up the trunk. It looked as if someone had carved out the entire middle of the trunk, leaving only the outside for walls. The trunk was wide, as big as a medium closet inside and all the way at the top of the tree (for it became apparent that the trunk was carved out all the way up), Aragorn could see dark green leaves topping the trunk.

"Come in, Legolas." Aragorn called Legolas. The elf slipped under the door frame in a few seconds and they were both standing in the circular room.

"Where do you suppose we go from here?" Legolas asked, noticing there was really nothing in the trunk. However, Aragorn had not the time to answer, because they realize that the floor of this small room was carpeted also in fallen leaves. The leaves started to disintegrate under their feet like sugar cubes in water. They could feel the floor getting thinner and thinner under their feet, and both of them dashed for the door, but it had closed. The leaves had gone now, and they were falling through the blackness. Neither of them made a sound, but Legolas looked around, trying in vain to see how long they would fall for. No doubt they would end up in a dark cave underground. How he hated caves.

The cold hit them both hard. Rocky ground rushed up to meet them and they both landed in crumpled heaps. Legolas opened his eyes and was distressed to see there was no light. Not even emanating from above. It was pitch black and he could see nothing.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed!  
**


	21. Journal

"Aragorn?" Legolas called to the darkness.

"Legolas?" was the reply. The voice came from off to the left.

"Are you alright?"

"Um - yes. Are you?"

"Yes. But I think you are lying."

"One of my fingers is sprained and you _know_ that is barely an injury."

"True." Legolas had to admit.

"Where are you, Legolas?"

"Here. Where are you?"

"Wait a moment."

Aragorn crawled along the rough uneven ground, noticing also that it was wet. Water dripped also from above, but he ignored it and crawled towards Legolas' voice. Legolas felt something pull on his hair and he flinched away.

"Relax, it is only me." Aragorn said. Legolas tried, but remained tense.

"We should get out of here." Legolas stated.

"I know. Can you find the walls?"

Legolas stood up, calling out with no words. The echoes of his voice told him that the cave was about thirteen feet across. Finally, they both found a wall, and started feeling blindly across, looking for a way out. Eventually, Aragorn gave a shout of discovery.

"Legolas!" Aragorn shouted, "I found something." Legolas carefully walked across the floor to the sound of Aragorn's voice and felt the wall. It was smooth, unlike the rest of the walls and it smelled of wood.

"A door." Legolas stated.

"How do we open it?" Aragorn asked, puzzled, almost thinking to himself. Legolas, however, was feeling along the door cracks until at last he felt a round metal knob. He twisted it and found it was unlocked.

"We just turn the handle, I presume." Legolas said. With that, he turned the handle and pushed the door open. They were met with blazing warmth and they stepped inside.

The room into which they stepped was quite surprisingly different from the wet, dark, cold cave. They were standing at the top of a flight of stairs that were made of dark polished mahogany, carpeted down the middle with a silky red runner edged with silver. The banister was of cool white marble, which was carved with evident skill and soft piano music could be heard as if the music itself lived in the air. Legolas and Aragorn exchanged a confused look and started to walk down the stairs. Once at the bottom, the surveyed the room and saw that they were standing in what looked like an ornate, Victorian style sitting room. There was a red brick fireplace on the back wall burning brightly with _silver_ flames and there was a polished tea table in the middle of the room and there were silver and red chairs and couches surrounding the table. From the roof hung a crystal chandelier and the floor was covered in a large (predictably) silver and red carpet that was decorated by gold line drawings of water, trees, flames, and clouds. There were also a large cabinet and a chest of drawers on the left and right sides of the room made of shiny, almost golden colored wood.

"What is this place?" Legolas asked, taking a step towards the low table, which had a silver tea set and a book lying binding up on it.

"I haven't the slightest idea." Aragorn replied, joining Legolas by the table. He picked up a teacup, half full with tea and felt the bottom. The drink was cold, despite the warmth room and it seemed as if the owner of the tea and the book had grown bored and left. Aragorn cautiously smelled the drink within the cup and muttered something;

"Athelas." He said. Legolas looked up from the book, surprised.

"Athelas? Is that not a healing plant?" the elf asked.

"It is, although I seem to recall that mixed with certain spices; athelas can make a pleasant tea. Although, it is rare to find, and I would never advise to use it so thoughtlessly." Aragorn said, putting the cup back down. "What does the book say?"

"It is written in very old elvish script." Legolas stated, and Aragorn looked at the book's open pages, which Legolas was holding. It was indeed elvish script, but as Legolas had said, it was an ancient set of characters. Aragorn could not read it.

"Can you read it?" he asked.

"Luckily, yes." Replied Legolas, "I was forced to learn the oldest versions of script so I could read from the traditional scrolls at all the boring ceremonies my father makes me partake it."

"What does it say, then?" Aragorn urged.

"It seems to be a journal of some kind." Legolas said, "In a rough translation, it says;

_Monday 9th_

_There have been many who have wronged me. Many who have done to me horrible, despicable things. I thought with these powers, I would be pleased. That I would become content to do the wishes of myself and sink back into the dark peace of the world where I feel most contented. It is the solitary aloneness of nature that makes me feel safe. I have hunted down, one by one, the people on whom I swore my revenge. I thought I was the most powerful one on Arda. There is another, though. He possesses the power of the sun, moon, and stars. My elemental powers are no match for his. He claims to do only good with his powers, but I am not sure of him; he may try to hurt me like all the others did. Only when I have his power, will I know I will be truly safe. I have made my decision. If he does not willingly give up his powers to me, I must murder him."_

Legolas paused to turn the page. The next entry, he read aloud also, was written in thin, rushed letters, as if the author had been in a hurry of madness to write down her thoughts. It went as follows;

_Friday 13__th_

_The sorcerer has hidden his power. I went to see him earlier today and he assured me that he could not reclaim his power and that he is no danger to me now that he has no power, but I know he is lying. That lying cheat! I know now with certainty that he intends to kill me – despite his assurances. This is only proof that no one in this world can be trusted. I will never be safe. Nobody is EVER safe! I must gather all the power in the world or die trying. I will never be safe without all the power in the world.  
_

_I have found quite startlingly that I am the only sane person in this world. Not blinded by the illusion of safety. Nowhere is safe, not unless I have power. But even power must be wielded correctly. I now count myself the only one capable of judging worthiness of power. I am the only sane one, and nowhere is safe.  
_

_I will murder him tonight._

_Not safe, nowhere safe, never safe, never. Never. Never. Never. Never. __Never safe. Never safe. Never safe. Never safe._

The entry trailed off, the whole page was filled with the messy scrawled words 'never safe' and it was clear that the night of her death, she was half-insane. On the next page of the book, written in more current elven script that Aragorn _could_ read. It said;

_HERE ENDS THE TALE OF THE SORCERESS OF OLD_

_Reliable sources have indicated that she died that night, trying to kill the sorcerer. She eventually found the sorcerer's hidden power hidden in a star. She now guards it, waiting for a worthy recipient _

_It is my understanding that she was not insane. I believe what she said was true. I do not see the illusion of safety and after reading over her journal, I have come to the conclusion that I am worthy of the power she guards. I will record in the blank pages of her journal my quest to gather the element stones and prove I am worthy of the power she guards._

_HERE STARTS THE TALE OF ERDOLLIEL_

"I believe it is safe to say that this place is Erdolliel's house." Legolas stated quietly, and then turned the page to read the rest of the journal.

The following pages were written in a different hand than the journal of the sorceress, and seemed to be Erdolliel's journal. The first few pages were more of a goal statement than a journal, and told in extreme detail what Erdolliel intended to do once she gained power. A lot of the plan involved taking control of a large portion of land that encompassed from Fangorn to The Lonely Mountain (It contained a detailed hand drawn map) and enslaving all the people who had wronged _her_ in the past (all of whom had detailed descriptions of the person and the act they had done to wrong her). Along with all the inhabitants of her supposed newly controlled land. It seemed that she was following in the past sorceress' footsteps, and going further. The portion of land that Erdolliel planned to take over conveniently left untouched the place Aragorn called home, but covered all of Mirkwood – Legolas' home. They read on, Legolas with increasing interest. Legolas and Aragorn got through two entries before a sound alerted them. Legolas immediately put the book down to its original position and looked towards the wall where the fireplace was. There was a door beside the fireplace and from behind it, they could hear footsteps. At first, the footsteps seemed to be getting closer, but soon, they receded.

"We should go." Aragorn said. "Search the cabinets and drawers for temporary weapons." He added, realizing now that neither of them had any weaponry. Legolas went to the chest of drawers and Aragorn to the cabinets, but they found nothing of use as weapons; only small velvet bags, some shiny sticks, and a few spare cloaks all in different shades of dark. Eventually, Aragorn picked up a fireplace poker that was about the same length of his sword, and Legolas grabbed two candlesticks that for some weird reason had sharp edged wings for decoration on the ends.

Throwing the candles of his candlesticks into the fireplace, Legolas said, "We have weapons to suffice for now, let us go." Aragorn nodded and they walked over to the door. Quietly, Aragorn opened the door and peered out the crack. The hallway that he looked out into was empty, and they crept out into it, shutting the door silently behind them. It was a long hallway, paneled with red wood on the sides. Every three or so inches along the wall, there would be a door. At the very end of the hall, there was a full length gold framed mirror.

"Which door do we choose?" Legolas asked so quietly that only Aragorn's ranger trained ears could hear. They both examined the doors made of aspen wood that seemed to have been enchanted to shine like silver. They were both walking down the hallway, examining every door.

"I-" Aragorn was cut off by the sound of voices.

"_So, we hid the weapons. Now what?" _

"_Did I not tell you, sister that we could do something normal? I suggest we learn to knit."_

It was coming from the third door on the right. Legolas and Aragorn quickly dashed into the room closest to them; the third door on the left. It, like the rest of the house they had seen so far, was ornately decorated with furniture of silver and red, but there was no time to survey the décor, because they realized almost too late that the room they were in was the one that the owners of the voices were heading for. They both frantically, but quietly searched for a way out, but non seemed apparent until;

"Aragorn…!" Legolas hissed, gesturing for him to rush over to where Legolas was kneeling down. He had found a hidden panel that slid upwards into the wall.

"Where does this lead?" Aragorn whispered back.

"It does not matter. We must get out of here." Legolas held the panel open for Aragorn until the man had crawled in and then crawled in himself and let the panel close behind him.

* * *

**I had a bit more time to write this week, so this chapter is a bit longer than usual. Yay! Was the journal bit okay? Now that i read it over it seems stupid that Erdolliel would let them in on purpose and just leave her diary on the table, but I guess I could say she forgot about it...? The "finding of the enemy's diary" seems too cliche, now that I read it over... ****  
**

**Well, until next time, echil pent nin.  
**

**Next time: Erdolliel  
**


	22. Erdolliel Pt 1

**First off, this chapter is very short. It ends abruptly and seems like there should be more. There is more to this chapter, but I thought that where I ended it was quite suspenseful (Maybe it isn't, but whatever) so I cut off the chapter. The rest of what i wrote this week will be posted shortly after i post this one (In a few seconds) Enjoy. **

* * *

Once the panel was closed, it was as dark as the cave had been; only this space was warm and smooth.

"Follow me; we have to get out of here." Aragorn whispered extremely quietly, but he knew Legolas could hear. Legolas did not like this at all, but he knew that the only way to escape this room without a fight was to crawl the unknown dark of wherever this tunnel led. Plus, a fight with two shadow servants armed with anything they could want vs. Legolas and Aragorn armed with a fireplace poker and two candlesticks didn't seem like a very good idea.

They kept as quiet as possible, slowly crawling through the darkness and even Legolas got slightly used to the dark. At least for Legolas, this was better than the cold and wet dark. For the longest time, it seemed like they were crawling forward endlessly, until Aragorn hit a wall and they turned right. Soon after the right turn, the floor started to slope down, and they both changed their position to more slide down the tunnel with their feet first. Slowly the tunnel sloped more and more until suddenly, it seemed like the floor had almost dropped right out from under them and they slid on an almost vertical surface until they hit the bottom.

Aragorn got up first, muttering something about them being lucky on this trip because they hadn't gotten seriously injured yet. Legolas however, stayed down, a bit dazed having landed on his head.

"Legolas?" Aragorn asked, not hearing a reply to his comments.

"I am here." Legolas stated quietly, "Before you ask: I landed on my head, but I do not have a concussion, so I should be fine." Aragorn knew it was best not to argue with him, since all that had happened was that he landed on his head, and that was not apparently serious since Legolas was speaking in lucid sentences. After a moment of silence, Legolas' voice could be heard again.

"The air seems different in here." Legolas stated. He stood up, completely and found that it was much more spacious than in the tunnel. More to his surprise, when he walked forward, he found a door. He informed Aragorn of this and they opened the door.

It was a room far less lavish than the rest of the house they had seen, it contained no furniture except four pedestals (two containing glowing stones), and a large painting that covered the wall depicting an angry sorceress with the elements swirling around her. On another wall, chained with anti-glowing black chains, were Aragorn's sword and sheath, and Legolas' twin blades.

"Our weapons!" Legolas said pointing to the wall, but Aragorn had already seen them. They were almost to their weapons, when a voice made them stop;

"How delightful…" Erdolliel's voice said, and they both turned to see her.


	23. Erdolliel Pt 2

She looked exactly like her shadow servants, except she looked less harsh, her features were softer and in her eyes, they could see more wisdom than in the cold eyes of the shadow servants. "Here I thought I was going to have to find a wood elf, and here one has come to me!" Erdolliel said, eyeing Legolas. This was _too_ good, she couldn't believe her luck. Legolas had to think quickly and he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"I am not a wood elf." Legolas lied. He saw Erdolliel's pleasure falter and she stared at him, rethinking her assumption. He wore the clothes of the wood elves, but that was hardly reason to judge anybody, she thought.

"If you are not a wood elf, what are you?" She asked Legolas. He paused for a brief moment, and then lied again;

"I am of Vanyarin decent." Legolas faked, silently thanking the Valar for his blond hair which set him apart from the dark hair that most wood elves have. Erdolliel eyed Legolas suspiciously, narrowing her eyes, as if she were trying to see through his words and find falsehood or truth in them.

"I will believe that - for now. I will test your words later, elf." Erdolliel stated, and then paused for a moment as if thinking. "Seeing as I supposedly have nothing to gain from killing either of you… I simply want to talk."

"Talk?" both Legolas and Aragorn echoed in incredulity. Erdolliel inclined her head forward in a nod. As if on cue, the three shadow servants appeared in the room, and beside them stood a set of three red and silver armchairs.

"Sit." Erdolliel gestured Legolas and Aragorn to the chairs. They followed her to the chairs, but did not sit. Sitting in her offered chair would feel too much like letting their guard down. Her servants began to leave, but she held up her hand to stop them.

"Stay." They stayed, standing awkwardly in the corner.

"I told you to sit." She smiled darkly at the elf and the man. Erdolliel herself sunk into a chair and then waited expectantly, but neither Legolas nor Aragorn followed her actions.

"Alright then." She stood, "I will talk to you how you wish." Still, they said nothing in reply.

"I have a proposal for you." Erdolliel continued, "I collect these stones, you see. They make for nice decorations." She showed them the pedestals on her table that contained her soul stones. "I am but a simple collector. It seems you have accidentally come across one of my possessions. May I have my scarlet stone back?" Her words had slowed down closer to the end, her lips articulating every word. Aragorn wondered how she thought anybody would believe that. It was an obvious lie. And yet… her statement seemed so sure, so absolute, that he knew that if he hadn't already had concrete information of his own, knowing what she spoke was a lie, he would have believed her. He wondered, too what he would have thought if they hadn't found her journal, if Legolas hadn't gotten the information from the eagle, if the shadow servant hadn't revealed so much. Quickly, Aragorn thought through this in his mind; if they hadn't known so much to start with, they would have had no idea why the shadow servants had attacked them and he knew with absolute certainty that he would have believed Erdolliel to be an insane collector of pretty stones who had crazy servants who would kill to protect their master's collection. How odd it seemed that with simple words and lack of knowledge, they could have been deceived so easily. How much did she know they knew? She was waiting expectantly to see if they had been fooled. Aragorn wasn't aware of Legolas' question as he was caught in his own thoughts, but when he processed Legolas' question in his head, it surprised him, since he knew Legolas was fully aware of the true answer to the question he asked;

"Why did you say that there was no use in killing either of us?" Legolas asked plainly, not showing his verdict yet on her lie. Aragorn knew what he was doing though. Legolas was trying to bait her into reveling something. They both knew the correct answer to the question was that she had hoped to find a wood elf to kill and obtain the earth soul stone, but her second lie was worse than the first.

"My guests, I said no such thing." She smiled sweetly. It was plain now that she had a slight talent in lying and she could easily confuse those who hadn't made up their minds yet on a subject. They both suspected dark magic, knowing she had it. Legolas nodded blankly, trying to trick her into thinking her trick had worked and he never heard her say "…I supposedly have nothing to gain from killing either of you…". It seemed to work, and she was fooled into thinking she had fooled him.

"Now you see, I must have my scarlet stone." She held her hand out expectantly. Legolas blinked once and in a split second that they were lucky Erdolliel missed, the elf's eyes were filled with rage. He did not want her enslaving his entire home. Aragorn was hoping that he forgot to slip the stone in his pocket, but he could feel it, warm beside him when he focused on its presence.

"I cannot give it to you." Was all Aragorn could say. In hindsight, he should have thought of something better, more reasonable to say, but he didn't. She scowled.

"Why not? You know I am harmless." She tried to keep her convincing tone and was failing. Legolas restrained himself from growling at her that she was not harmless and planned to enslave innocents.

"Please?" Erdolliel stepped closer, a fire in her eyes as if she knew where the stone was.

"No." Aragorn said flatly, still wracking his brain for a reason not to give it to her. In another circumstance, they could have fought their way out, but without weapons against a dark magic armed sorceress, in a room with three shadow servants, it seemed not a good idea.

"_Why not?_" Said the dark armed sorceress. It was getting too tense for Legolas' liking, his mind swirled with sudden thoughts of anger. He didn't know why he was all of a sudden enraged, it was something about her deceptively sweet tone of pretend harmlessness that infuriated him. As she spoke more lies of sweetness that fooled neither of them, she gave him a dark smile, almost daring him to tell her she was lying, and before he realized he had said it, the words had flown from his mouth.

"You _lie_! We know what the stones are; we know you plan to enslave a large portion of Middle Earth!" Legolas closed his mouth a moment too late and mouthed silently 'no'. How could he have been so stupid!? He had acted like an elfling, not capable of keeping his mouth shut. It was Erdolliel, she made him furious and he didn't know why. Her eyes flashed dangerously. In that moment, he knew he had just sent himself and Aragorn on a path to certain death. It seemed as though she realized that talking would not get her fire soul stone back, and then there was a brief pause before she attacked.

* * *

**And that's it for this week. I've recently been obsessed with Harry Potter, so I've spent some of my writing time reading, but I still wrote this chapter. Have fun until I return. It's getting to the climax. The "Final Battle" of this story comes next, so be sure to read. **

**Until Next Time Echil Pent Nin, Ynnealay :P  
**


	24. Dagra

Her attack was sudden, she ran with great speed at Aragorn,_ perhaps_ Legolas thought, _she wanted to catch him off guard_. But both Legolas and Aragorn had been tense and alert ever since they had started 'talking' with her and Aragorn instinctually dodged out of the way. Her first attack failed and Aragorn raised the fireplace poker he was holding like a sword. The sharp edge that would usually be on a sword, however, was absent from the fireplace poker, and he only succeeded in throwing her back a bit when she ran at him again. He didn't have to speak, but Legolas already knew they had better run again. The shadow servants, now having witnessed an assault on their master, ran forward, trying to capture Legolas and Aragorn again. Erdolliel was still on the floor, apparently being a bit more mortal than her servants.

"You can kill them now!" She commanded sourly, getting up slowly while rubbing her head. Legolas quickly ducked under the rapier of an enemy and then bashed her over the head with his candlestick, knocking her out – but he knew it wouldn't be for long. The elf's eyes scanned the room, searching for the door out. The door they had come through was on the opposite wall to the one he found now.

"Aragorn!" He shouted, running towards the door. In his way was the shadow servant with twin blades and they struggled with each other for a bit before he kicked her away and reached the door.

"Aragorn!" He looked behind him to see both Erdolliel and the magic armed shadow servant closing in on his friend. Legolas instinctually brought his hand up for and arrow, and then remembered he had no arrows, nor a bow, and he settled with chucking the left candlestick towards Erdolliel. His aim was true and she fell, giving Aragorn a chance to get to the door. They flung the door open and were met with a tall flight of stairs. Running without a second thought, they bolted from the room and shut the door behind them, although they knew it would do nothing to stop the shadow servants.

At the top of the stairs, they found a large room with chests of drawers; shelves and chests piled high against the walls. It seemed they had hit a dead end. Looking around frantically, they both dived for a large trunk, but they were too late. Aragorn felt himself being pulled backwards by an invisible hand, and saw Legolas being done the same. He slammed into a bookshelf and out of nowhere; strong straps made of some sort of dark material bound their wrists and ankles to a bookshelf. Erdolliel walked in, her hands anti-glowing with a dark mist around them, confirming Legolas' suspicion that she had been the one controlling their straps. Her servants followed closely behind her. She extinguished the dark mist from her right hand and swirled it, controlling the air. A gust of wind blew towards the struggling Aragorn and dug into his pocket, bringing back to Erdolliel, the fire soul stone. She held it in her hand happily, pleased to have gained back her treasure.

"Before I kill you, I would like to know; how much do you know and how did you find out?" Erdolliel asked, slipping the stone onto a pocket in her dress.

"And _why_ would we tell you that?" Legolas demanded.

"Because it will stop me from killing you for at least a minute." She had a point. The longer he distracted her, the longer they had to escape.

"Why do you not guess? You seem smart." Legolas said, aiming to be as irritating as possible.

"Tell me."

"Your shadow servant there was a big help." Legolas stated, nodding to the first one – holding her rapier. Erdolliel looked horrified. She turned with fire in her eyes, exactly what Legolas had hoped. The elf used this time to slowly try and wriggle his wrists out of the straps.

"Why would you _help them_!? Why would you _betray me_!? Your _master_!" She fumed at the first shadow servant.

"I- I didn't help them, mistress!" Stammered the shadow servant, looking quite small and out of power compared to her master, "I was simply having fun with them, I-!" But words failed her. Stuttering wordlessly, the shadow servant eventually closed her mount and looked down shamefully. Her master accepted this explanation – or rather – lack of one, and it looked like Erdolliel was about to forgive her servant and turn back to the almost free Legolas, when Legolas hastily said some more not-very-praiseworthy things about the shadow servant.

"All throughout the battle, she was giving us plenty of useful information." Legolas added. "You should deal with her now. Not a very bright evil servant! Talks entirely too much." He said offhandedly. Erdolliel did not like this at all, she held her hand up, pointing at the first shadow servant, and the servant collapsed. There were screams from the other two shadow servants, but Legolas didn't listen to any of this, because he had finally gotten his hands loose. Aragorn, who had remained silent through all of this, was watching Legolas intently, aware of the fact that his friend was almost free.

Erdolliel glared down at the now dead body of her servant with no remorse reflected in her eyes. The shadow servants stood aghast, gaping at the now dead body of the shadow servant on the floor. They seemed confused, looking back and forth between their master and the dead victim of said master, almost asking permission to go to their beloved sister in her death. Legolas and Aragorn were once again struck by the apparent genuine compassion the servants had for one another when the servants who remained alive took on an almost pleading look and Legolas could see shimmering tears hanging onto their lashes. Erdolliel looked at them in disgust.

"Go to her if you wish." She said sourly. Legolas had now gotten free and had silently crept over to Aragorn and was just undoing the straps on his wrists as the two shadow servants carried their sister's body out of the room.

She rounded on Legolas too early and caught him just as he undid both of Aragorn's wrists. Her eyes lit up with fury and with no difficulty, she shoved her hand at them and they both felt an immense pressure like a strong wind intensified by thousands pushing them back against the bookshelf.

"No one escapes that easily." She snarled at them, slamming Legolas especially hard against the wood. The bookshelf rattled when he was slammed into it and a large pile of ceramic jars teetered dangerously close to the edge of the top shelf just above Legolas' head. He noticed this and struggled against the powerful force of air pushing against him. Aragorn did the same, trying desperately to get free. As the two struggled, the shelf shook more. The jars balancing precariously tipped slightly over and fell off the edge of the shelf. Legolas gave a shout as the jars came falling towards him and Erdolliel. Surprised by the sudden noise, Erdolliel leapt back, effectively and accidentally freeing Aragorn, but Legolas remained in place and the jars smashed against his head.

Legolas opened his eyes with a start, a bit disoriented. There was dust all around him, and broken pieces of pottery. He realized he was no longer pinned against the bookshelf, but buried in a pile of broken ceramic, and a strange black dust the consistency of flour clung to his eyelashes. He pushed the broken pieces off himself and emerged from the pile. He was met with two figures standing above him; Aragorn and Erdolliel. They both gasped when they saw him and Aragorn's mouth dropped open.

The ceramic pots had fallen fast, zooming towards Legolas' head and Aragorn winced slightly, hearing the shattering as the pots burst open and Legolas was buried under the pile of broken ceramics. It seemed that the pots were filled with dark, flour like powder that was spilled all over the floor when the pots broke. Erdolliel was frozen in shock for a few seconds until the broken fragments of the pots were pushed out of the way and Legolas emerged seemingly fine – for the moment. But what Aragorn saw made his mouth drop open in surprise; all of Legolas' body was radiating with a dark, earthy green tone.

Erdolliel was gaping at him in a mixture of glee and anger "You glow green after being covered in seeing dust. _You lied. _You _are_ a_ wood elf!_" She exclaimed. It took both Aragorn and Legolas a less than a second to realize what that meant. She was going to try and kill Legolas. With a shout of triumph, she levitated numerous objects in the room of various shapes and sizes and her eyes, blazing with determination, locked onto her target – Legolas.

She sent a medium sized trunk full of books flying at him, and although he was completely capable of dodging it, but Aragorn pushed him out of the way and although Aragorn himself didn't get crushed by the trunk, the majority of the trunk's weight landed squarely on Aragorn's left leg. They both landed in a pile of books strewn across the floor. He pulled his leg out from under the trunk and crawled over to Legolas.

"Aragorn!" Legolas exclaimed, noticing the blood coming from the man's legs, "Now is _not_ the time for gallantry, let me-!" but just then, a large chandelier with lit candles came flying at them and Aragorn once again pushed Legolas out of the way, managing to cover himself in glass shards and hot wax. The books around them caught fire and they rolled in separate directions to escape the flame.

Erdolliel moved her hand over the in an arc and the burning books turned to water. She saw now that she was not going to be able to hit Legolas with Aragorn around, so she turned her targeting to him. An assortment of objects ranging from books to heavy bundles of cloth were levitated in the air all around the dark sorceress, hovering in the air. The objects hung still for a moment before suddenly racing towards Aragorn. He scrambled up, his injured leg making it difficult, and somehow managed to avoid the first few books. Legolas leapt to his feet and ran over, grabbing some round wooden thing as he ran, and then throwing it in the way of the second attack on Aragorn consisting of broken glass shards. The glass shards pelted the wooden platter Legolas had thrown in the way and the platter now embedded with glass shards hit a wall and smashed as it fell back to the floor.

Heavy packages and bundles were now flying at Aragorn and while Legolas tried to get to Erdolliel and engage her in a fairer fight, streams of fire that were spontaneously erupting from the floor hindered him from moving forward. Aragorn ducked under a heavy brown box and tried to block the next one with his hands, tumbling back after being hit. He stood up not as quickly as he would have liked and continued dodging as best he could. The elf picked up what appeared to be a broken chair leg,

"Aragorn!" He yelled, and then tossed it. Aragorn caught it and swung it like a bat to deflect the projectiles coming at him. The elf dodged through the columns of fire, the heat and light of the flames overtaking his vision. A column shot up right in front of him and Legolas jumped around, springing up just in time not to be incinerated by another jet of flame. He now stood before Erdolliel and he seized his chance, jumping up and tackling her to the ground. He picked up the nearest thing – conveniently a box of small knives lying open and seized one of the knives, pressing it to her neck. She merely growled and the next thing Legolas knew, he was blasted backwards, Erdolliel's stream of dark magic having hit him in the chest. He staggered slightly when he stood, but remained upright. When he looked back, she had turned into a sleek black hawk. She was large for a hawk, but smaller than an eagle. Her transformation stunned both Legolas and Aragorn for a moment. She flew in a large circle close to the ceiling, revealing to Aragorn and Legolas just how tall the room was, as they had not noticed before. She made a sudden dive towards the shelf nearest Aragorn and it seemed a hundred objects fell from the top of the shelf down towards Aragorn. Some of the objects seemed to be defying gravity, skewing off course just to target the very unlucky man underneath. He tried to dive out of the way, but his injured leg protested and he fell to the ground, his landing not pleasant, as he fell straight onto the broken pieces of everything Erdolliel had just thrown at him.

"Aragorn!" Legolas exclaimed. He watched for a second, hoping the man would get up, but it seemed he was out cold. Something in the elf's senses alerted him and he ducked instinctually, realizing he had just dodged another powerful blast of dark magic. She had resumed her elf form. He glared at her.

"You hide behind magic!" Legolas snarled, "Can you not fight in close combat!?" He wasn't sure whether he had intended this as a taunt or as more of a comment about her fighting style, but if it had been a taunt, it worked.

"A little practice won't hurt." She shrugged cruelly. She blinked once and her eyes changed from gold to deep black, and out of her eyes, two thread-thin needles shot out towards Legolas. He jumped out of the way, only to find that the needles hadn't been meant for him. A hidden panel in the wall slid open behind him where the needles had hit. Erdolliel opened her hand and a curved blade flew towards her, almost hitting Legolas in the back of the head, had he not have ducked in time. Her eyes had brightened back to gold, but Legolas didn't notice her eyes. He was too busy examining her blade. The blade at first seemed to be papery thin, but when she turned it at different angles, the light caught it in certain ways and gave the appearance that there were many different edges to the blade.

With her free hand, she grabbed a handful of the tiny knives, one of which Legolas had tried to kill her with, and threw them towards him, apparently not feeling any pain despite the blood flowing from her fist. The elf dodged the knives, but got scraped by two or three as they passed and cut into his skin. He picked up the largest two, both about the size of paring knives. He didn't think twice about the unfairness of the situation, but rushed straight for her, now armed.

Just about to her, he jumped in the air, hoping to bring the knife down on her, but with a flick of her wrist, the blade spread open like a fan and blocked his puny knife. He now stood before her; there was one thing left to do – fight. Blurry streaks of blades and knives were all he could see now.

He was not sure if he wanted to kill her. He couldn't see himself murdering her in cold blood without a thought of remorse. He had killed before, but those were orcs or other monsters. This was a woman. It was strange to think of her that way, but she was. _She is evil_, Legolas reminded himself, _she murdered an eagle, and she will kill me given the chance._ Still, could he kill her? He could not worry about that now. His main priority was to get her at his mercy, and then he could figure out what her fate should be.

She struck him on his shoulder, cutting him so he bled freely, but he couldn't feel the pain yet – too much adrenaline – and he fought on.

Aragorn could hear sounds around him; the clashing of metal, particularly, of blades. His eyelids were heavy, but he opened them, and saw he was lying on his side in a pile of broken things. He sat up suddenly, when he realized that in front of him, Legolas was dueling with Erdolliel. Aragorn searched wildly for a weapon, and not finding one immediately, he got to his feet unsteadily and was surprised to find a simple, conveniently placed sword, sitting in a hole in the wall. He grabbed it and started towards the battling pair. It was close as he could see it; any slight movement could have tipped the scale of winning or losing for either of them, but it seemed that Erdolliel was winning by only the smallest fraction of a second. Legolas' head spun around quickly when he heard Aragorn coming. A mistake on his part, because as his attention was diverted for the quickest of moments, Erdolliel's weapon plunged deep into Legolas' chest.

Legolas still felt no pain as the blade impaled him, but slowly, every sensation in his body came rushing back as the adrenaline faded. From the tiny scrapes and bruises to the large gash in his shoulder to the horrible stinging, burning agony he felt in his chest, he felt it all. He had half a mind to irrationally rush forward and try to stab her, but in the end realized that doing so would only drive the blade of hers deeper into his chest. At that moment, however, she pulled her blade out and he fell backwards. He had lost all sense of direction as his vision so quickly dimmed and his mind was overwhelmed with a rush of thoughts; of pain, wonder, aggravation, peace. He knew he was dying.

Aragorn contemplated for a brief moment whether to run up to Erdolliel and attack or run to Legolas' side. He decided on the former. The master swordsman ran with all his speed towards his enemy. A dark streak flew across his vision and he was on his back, lying right beside Legolas. Something in his head told him quite calmly (as opposed to his heart which was full of crashing emotions) that Legolas would not die and that after so many brushes with death, neither of them were going to die of battle-earned injuries, but as he looked at the elf beside him, Legolas whispered some almost inaudible words;

"_Im gwanna an Mandos_ **[I go to Mandos]**" Whispered the elf, before he closed his eyes, dying or just falling unconscious, Aragorn didn't know, but that last statement Legolas had just made suggested that he was dead. Aragorn refused to accept this possibility, and he got up again, but Erdolliel blasted him with some sort of smooth, freezing orb, and he fell back down again. He assumed correctly that Erdolliel thought him and Legolas both to be dead. He thought he would soon be anyway, because Aragorn could feel himself slipping away. The last thing he saw before all was dimmed was Erdolliel extraction a glowing green essence from Legolas and capturing it in a stone, so the stone glowed green. All went black. His last thoughts strayed to the prospect of death. _Maybe if Legolas really is dead, dying wouldn't be so bad_, he thought, but he also thought of Arwen and the fact that he, Aragorn was the hope of men. Dying would not be good now, he decided, but he had no choice as oblivion claimed him.

* * *

**I've been working on this for awhile and ****it's pretty long by my standards, so Yay****. Horrible ending to this chapter, I know... But anyway, I'll be back with a new chapter in a bit - so wait for me until I come back**

**Note: The title "Dagra" means "Do Battle" in Elvish.  
**

**- Ynnealay  
**

**PS._ Im pul nuitha Legolas' gwanath. Avo trass, hon thel brona ah cuia _(That is information concerning what will happen in the next chapter. If you're keen on figuring out what happens next, try to translate it. But, you don't have to.)  
**


	25. The Final Battle

It was dark when Aragorn opened his eyes, and for a moment he contemplated whether he was still unconscious. But no, he knew he wasn't unconscious because of the melodious, low chanting voice somewhere close by. He looked around. The room they had been in previously was gone. Surely they were in the same place, since the floor was the same; strewn with books and broken bits of furniture, pottery, and many other things. But the walls were gone, as was the roof. It seemed they were on a large floating platform surrounded by stars and otherwise, darkness. He looked around and briefly saw Legolas on the ground, motionless, and he forced himself to look away. He didn't know why he couldn't stand to gaze upon his friend's unconscious form; he had many times before (which was not a good thing). He realized it was what Legolas had said to him: _I go to Mandos. _Aragorn didn't want to be able to study Legolas closely enough to determine if he was dead, afraid of what he might find. All these times, Legolas had insisted he was _fine_, but this time, he had openly said that he thought himself dying. Mimicking his eyes, he tore his thoughts away from Legolas and focused on the source of the chanting: Erdolliel.

Erdolliel stood in the middle of the room where a small circle had been cleared of things so the wooden floor was visible. Her eyes were quickly changing color from the brightest gold Aragon had ever seen her eyes to deep rippling blue, to scorching red, to bright white, and then to a dark green – the same color as Legolas had glowed when covered in seeing dust. She was chanting in a low voice, although with a melodious tune that consisted of repeating four notes.

"_Gwelu, ceven, naur, nên… toggwa… Ni ialla na ant glawar, ithil, elin. Gwelu, ceven, naur, nên… toggwa… Ni ialla na ant glawar, ithil, elin. Gwelu, ceven, naur, nên… toggwa… Ni ialla na ant glawar, ithil, elin_"

She chanted over and over. Around her were the four element soul stones floating in a circle around her. Her chanting grew steadily louder and the stones rose higher until they were above her head and she was tilting her head upwards to see them. Out of nowhere, a voice suddenly filled the air.

"You have called upon me. I, sorceress of elements and dark power, now answer you." The voice said. Erdolliel looked delighted, like a child who had just gotten their favorite toy to start working again.

"I am Erdolliel, great sorceress. I deem myself worthy of the power you guard, I have called you seeking that power." Aragorn now noticed that one of the stars surrounding them was brighter than the rest. If he looked hard enough, he thought he could make out the faint outlines of a star, a moon, and sun in the middle of the star.

"And _what_ can you show me to prove you are worthy?"

"The stones of the elements. I have collected them all." Erdolliel answered calmly, but barely concealing the enthusiasm her eyes betrayed.

"Present them." Erdolliel nodded obediently towards the star that was brightest, and was somehow moving closer.

"The stone of Air" On cue, the white stone fell from the floating position above her head and landed in her hand. She held it up and it floated towards the start and vanished. Erdolliel did not seem fazed at all by this, and she went on, "I gained it by slaughter of an eagle."

"Admirable." Said the voice, which Aragorn had gathered to be the voice of the evil sorceress of old. He recognized a fleeting thought of curiosity of how killing anything good was admirable.

"The stone of Water" It too fell, and Erdolliel held it up and it followed the same path as the previous stone, and then vanished, too. "I collected it from a water maiden who I tricked into willingly dying for me."

"Clever."

"The stone of Fire." The stone in question went like the others. "An orc was not hard to kill."

"Naturally."

"Lastly," Erdolliel paused to let the green stone fall to her hand, and held up the earth stone, but it did not float toward the star and vanish, Erdolliel went on anyways "The stone of Earth. I have killed a wood elf to gain this stone." Aragorn drew a sharp intake of breath at this. _Killed?_ She killed Legolas? He was dead then. No. Aragorn slowly crawled over to the elf's still figure, lying limp on the ground. Tentatively, he felt for a pulse. None came, and his skin was too cold. Aragorn turned away, anger starting to burn in his heart.

The sorceress of old spoke again, seemingly oblivious to the horrible realization that Erdolliel had brought down on Aragorn, "What is it you mean by lastly?" Erdolliel looked rather confused.

"There _are_ only _four_ element stone?" she asked tentatively

"No. There is a fifth." The voice paused, waiting to see if Erdolliel would supply the rest of the information. When she did not, the voice continued; "The fifth element soul is the stone of Shadow. Do you know how you would collect that?" Erdolliel shook her head and Aragorn automatically thought of all the creatures he could think of that represented shadow: Balrogs, certain dragons, fell beasts, nazgûl… although, as nazgûl are neither living nor dead, Aragorn wasn't sure how Erdolliel would take a soul from them (did they even have souls?). Meanwhile, Erdolliel seemed to be running through her head all the creatures related to shadow.

"Perhaps a balrog? Which represents both shadow and flame?" Erdolliel gave her only answer.

"Yes."

"Is there no other being I could steal from? Balrogs are- are-" she found herself at a loss for words.

"Erdolliel, if you could find a being who was either a great dark sorcerer or sorceress like I myself once was or if you found a being who was made completely of dark magic, their soul would give you a shadow stone. If you can prove you can find someone like that, you shall have proved yourself and I will grant you the power." Erdolliel's eyes lit up, and Aragorn realized she was smiling broadly.

"A being made completely of dark magic." She repeated, still smiling. She quickly searched the floor with her eyes, and Aragorn closed his eyes when her gaze swept over him. Finding what she needed, Erdolliel held her hand out towards the floor and a clear blue stone flew into it.

"My servants!" She called, and at once her two remaining shadow servants had appeared.

"Observe these two beings." Erdolliel presented them to the star. "I have created them out of pure dark magic." The shadow servants, obviously not knowing what words had just been exchanged, stood silent in a mixture of half confusion, half not yet justified fear.

The fear was soon justified when Erdolliel beckoned the closes servant to her forward. The servant obeyed hesitantly and Erdolliel whispered a question;

"_Are you willing to die for your master?_" Erdolliel asked. Her shadow servant opened her mouth, but no words came, because Erdolliel pointed a finger at her, and she froze. The dark sorceress held out the empty blue stone and the shadow servant's body seemed to be sucked into the stone, so it anti glowed not unlike the stones Legolas and Aragorn had used to escape the dark magic made cage.

The last remaining shadow servant gasped and her eyes filled with tears. She screamed in horrified sorrow and rage. She had now lost both her sisters. Meanwhile, Erdolliel was now presenting her newly acquired stone of Shadow.

It occurred now to Aragorn that he was doing nothing. The rage he felt for Erdolliel because of her pitiless murder of Legolas was still burning strongly. It didn't occur to him how unusually fast it took him to quietly find the sword he had fought with before lying amongst the broken things on the floor, but he picked it up and sprang to his feet, running towards Erdolliel and swinging in a quick, strong, deliberate way that only one skilled as he in swords could. She had not anticipated his attack, but ducked in time to save her life.

"I thought you were dead!" Exclaimed Erdolliel, "Come here! Help me!" The last comment was to her remaining shadow servant. The shadow servant made no move to help her mistress, or any move for that matter, but the voice of the sorceress of old echoed in the room before Erdolliel could command again.

"Kill him, and the power shall be yours." Erdolliel narrowed her eyes in concentration, fully intending to kill him as quickly as possible.

The first thing she did was throw another freezing orb at him, which he dodged. Aragorn came up quickly and made another swing at her with his sword. A black shimmering wall appeared to block his sword, and he was thrown backwards when his sword hit it.

On and on it went. The battle between them raged ferociously. Through the chaos, neither of them noticed the shadow servant disappear from the room. She threw dark magic of all sorts at him; spells, curses, physical attacks. His sword served him well, as he deflected all her attacks with it, or he dodged them. A very powerful attack flew at Aragorn, this he could not dodge. It hit him hard and his body felt numb. He couldn't move, and Erdolliel was charging up the finishing projectile to kill him.

Just as the projectile was about to finish him, though, he felt a fast warmth spread through his body and he regained movement just in time to dive out of the way. The projectile, a large, dart shaped cloud of smoke swerved when he dived out of the way and resumed a course to hit him. Aragorn raised his sword and sliced through the dart, and the smoke disappeared into nothingness. With a wave of her hand, the sword in Aragorn's hand burst into flames and he dropped it immediately as the metal somehow was reduced to ash.

Erdolliel's arms rose slowly over her head, a large glowing orb that shone many colors growing in her hands extremely quick. The orb left her hands before Aragorn could register it, but as he looked around him, there was nowhere left to dodge. The orb was advancing fast. It was almost to him. Suddenly, from somewhere beside him, Aragorn hear a shout.

"Here!" He looked up, but didn't see the source of the voice. Just a sword being thrown towards him. _His _sword_._ He recognized it in an instant, and fleetingly remembered it should be chained up in another room. Aragorn caught it just as the orb was almost to him and swung it hard. The orb was hit by the edge of his blade however it did not shatter, but was hit back in Erdolliel's direction, as if his sword was a bat and the orb was a baseball. Erdolliel swept her hand in an arc and the orb flew back to Aragorn, who hit it back to her with his sword. They hit the orb back and forth in a game of dead man's volley. The orb's rally grew faster until the final hit – landed on Erdolliel. It struck her, and she fell to the floor. Aragorn ran to her, but it wasn't needed. Her own attack had killed her.

Lying beside her was a brightly glowing green stone. Aragorn knew it was Legolas' soul stone. He picked it up.

Just then, the floor where he was standing started to shake and tilt violently and Aragorn felt the plummeting feeling of falling. The platform was falling fast through wherever they were. He struggled to get over to Legolas' body, and fell as the platform tilted violently. He kept crawling, not trusting the steadiness of the platform, until he reached Legolas. He held the elf's hand in his own, when another hand, slender and pale but with soft skin reached down to help him up. He took it without question, and the world around him seemed to disappear for only half a second in a flash of light.

* * *

**Here is the latest chapter! Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the delay, but it's up now. **

**Disclaimer: Dead man's volley belongs to the Legend of Zelda series. And all the characters and places throughout this story belong to the genius of Tolkien. (Except Erdolliel, the evil sorceress of old, and Erdolliel's shadow servants. I own them.)  
**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter.  
**

**_Spoiler for next chapter: _  
**

**Oh, and before I get any comments about how evil I am for killing off Legolas (and making this an AU/death fic), He will live. I just had to say that.  
**


	26. Mirima

His eyes were temporarily blinded, and the color of things was off. Aragorn squinted his eyes as they adjusted to the normal lighting again. The first thing he noticed was that he was on his hands and knees on the ground, which was slightly moist. His eyes adjusted and the man looked around. Legolas' body lay beside him and his sword, in front. Just ahead of him was the last servant of Erdolliel stood with her back turned in an area of dense forest.

"You!" He snarled. She had worked for Erdolliel, in league with his friend's murderer. Snatching up his sword, Aragorn jumped to his feet and charged towards her. She turned in an instant and whispered a very fast incantation. Before he could reach her, a miniature version of the cage of black glass trapped him. All he could do is stand there and give her death glares.

"Stop." She said (Like he had a choice), "I want to talk. I don't have much time." Aragorn continued to glare at her. She spoke again, "Swear you will not attack me." Aragorn poured as much hate and impatience as he could into his one word answer, which apparently she heard.

"Fine." The glass disintegrated around him and he cautiously stepped forward.

"I only want to apologize. And help in any way that I can." She said.

"How do I know you're not going to kill me?" Aragorn demanded.

"My old mistress – she murdered my sisters. Do you really think I would want to kill her enemy for her?" This confused Aragorn to an extent, but he kept his face impassive, now dropping his death glare.

"Your mistress is dead. You can do whatever you wish." Aragorn stated.

"She is dead, yes. That is why I have limited time. As her body dies, her magic scatters. I will fade with the rest of the things she created with her magic. The cave containing the stones collapsed years ago and was being held open by her magic, so the stones are unreachable now. And her underground mansion is no longer existent. If we had stayed in it while it collapsed and fell, you would have dissolved into nothingness." Aragorn looked at her incredulously.

"Why did you save me, then?"

"I couldn't allow you to suffer because of the horrible things I did nothing to stop. Please, accept my apology."

"You haven't given it yet."

"I know. I _am_ sorry. Please forgive me._" _She took the large shoulder bag that she had on and emptied the contents onto the ground. Among them were Legolas' twin blades, a glowing green orb, and Legolas' soul stone. The one thing Aragorn didn't recognize as his or Legolas' was a leather covered book that he thought looked like Erdolliel's diary. "These are yours, I believe." She said. Aragorn surveyed the objects on the ground.

"_The diary?" _

"It was Erdolliel's. I think you should have it. It is made of real material, so it will not fade away." It was then that Aragorn noticed she was semi transparent now.

"Thank you." Aragorn said, "But what about my friend?" She gave him a sadly puzzled look.

"His soul and life energy have not yet departed this world. Theoretically, if you found a way to put them back into him, he could be revived. I cannot promise anything, though. The diary may help."

"Oh." Aragorn said, half hopeful, half dejected as he got used to the idea that Legolas might be gone for good.

"I know it seems foolish to name myself now," Said the shadow servant, "But I would like you to know me by a name." Aragorn nodded for her to go on.

"Call meMirima." She said. Aragorn looked into her eyes, feeling grateful for her change of heart.

"I am Aragorn." He said. Mirima was fading away visibly now. "Thank you again."

"I am glad I could help, even in the little way I did." Mirima said. Her voice was soft and hard to hear now.

"One last question; where am I?" Aragorn asked. The answer came from no visible source, but from an echo in the wind.

"You are close to the entrance of Fangorn Forest. Farewell, Aragorn." Then she was gone.

Taking into account Mirima's answer, Aragorn looked around and noticed the familiar tree, fallen over and blackened from the first night Legolas and he camped here. That horrible storm. A familiar sound made him turn, and he saw both their horses trotting up to him. Legolas' horse stopped by the elf and nudged him with her snout, whinnying in concern. Aragorn's own horse, however, trotted up to him and he pet it lovingly, grateful that it had found him. _Well_, He thought, _If I am to try and revive Legolas, I should do it quickly_.

Legolas still had the stab wound in his chest, but Aragorn figured that if he was going to have a chance at reviving him, his soul and life energy should find a way back to his body first. The man brought Legolas over to the green orb and gently placed the elf's slender fingers on the orb. The orb was absorbed into Legolas' fingers and his hand trembled slightly. The man eagerly grabbed the elf's wrist and felt for a pulse. There was one – steady and alive under his fingers. Aragorn smiled broadly. Now that he knew Legolas would live, he rummaged through the saddle bags of his horse and found some bandages and a flask of water. He worked steadily, cleaning and bandaging Legolas' stab wound, which he mused would usually be fatal. It had been, he reminded himself. He drank some water from the flask, and then became aware that night was falling. He was hungry and tired, and now with no immediate danger, Aragorn found it harder to ignore the fact that he had not slept properly for at least a week. Exhausted, he set up minimal camp and lay Legolas down on one of the sleeping mats they had. Legolas' weapons, he laid beside him and then he picked up Legolas' soul stone and Erdolliel's diary. There was a leaf that served as a bookmark wedged in one of the pages, and Aragorn flipped to it curiously.

_Concerning Life Energy and Souls_

It read at the top,

_One cannot live without the both. _

_Life energy alone cannot sustain a person. _

_They will lie in an eternal coma, until such time when their soul returns. Eternal coma is permanent if in effect for more than forty eight hours_

_A Soul alone cannot sustain a person._

_They will be trapped in a body not able to move or breathe or live. They will eventually die completely._

_A horrible fate befalls anyone who must live with only one. _

Aragorn read over the page again, noticing it was written in Westron. _They will lie in an eternal coma, until such time when their soul returns._ Aragorn looked at the unconscious elf lying motionless. _Eternal coma_. He felt that was worse than letting Legolas die. Why did this have to be so difficult? Legolas' soul was trapped within a stone, and his life energy was useless without the soul. He felt aggravated at himself. If he had found a way to mix his soul and life energy, he might have been able to revive Legolas sooner. Aragorn knew now that he wouldn't be able to sleep until he had at least tried to restore Legolas' soul.

Tossing the stone back and forth in his hands, and subconsciously letting his thoughts stray to the fact that he had done the exact same thing with the fire soul stone many days ago, he tried to find a way to release the soul inside. It seemed obvious that he had to open the stone somehow, but how to open it? He wondered if just smashing it open would do the trick. As stupid as the idea was, Aragorn seriously considered it for awhile, but pushed it aside for eventually. He considered going to Elrond. Surely his father would know what to do. Then he remembered the time limit. It was going to take more than two days to get from here to Rivendell. Something in the back of his mind called him back to the idea of just smashing it open. The more Aragorn thought about it, it seemed like the only option. It was stupid, the idea that he would be putting Legolas' life on the line trying an idea that might not work. But then, if he didn't try it, Legolas would be as good as dead. Aragorn decided to risk it.

He tried many things, but the stone seemed like it didn't want to break open. No matter what he smashed it against, it wouldn't break. He even tried with his sword multiple times, and when that didn't work, he used Legolas' long knives. It wasn't breaking, and the day had turned to night. How many hours had passed? How much time did he have left? Suddenly, a thought stuck him, and he searched Legolas' pockets (All the while feeling intrusive) until he found the last empty stone, crystal clear and cool blue. He didn't have to consider it; somehow he knew this was the last thing he would try. He held Legolas' soul stone and the empty stone above Legolas a distance apart, and then with all the strength he could gather in his arms, he clapped the stones together.

A loud crack sounded and it felt like an explosion had just went off inside Aragorn's hands. He released the stones immediately and stepped back, realizing that both the stones had been turned to dust. When he looked back at Legolas, a shimmering green mist was descending on the elf. Legolas glowed magnificently green for a brief moment, and he was still again. It was like the explosion had never happened. The stones were gone, Legolas remained the same. There was nothing else Aragorn could see that he could do. Legolas was alive from a technical aspect, but had his soul returned? All there was left to do was wait.

There was no denying now, that Aragorn was exhausted. Maybe, he thought, he should sleep lightly. The horses seemed fine with staying in the forest now, for some odd reason. If anything approached, the horses were sure to make a noise, and he would be ready. And he was so tired. Eventually, the man convinced himself to sleep, and lay beside Legolas, closing his eyes only for a moment, he told himself.

* * *

**I am sorry for the long-ish wait. The story is coming to a close in the next few chapters. Have fun without me until then.  
**

**Note: About the reason Mirima could teleport Aragorn and Legolas out of the mansion while it was collapsing vs. when all three shadow servants could not teleport Aragorn and Legolas to Erdolliel's home before. The reason she can now teleport people is because she didn't teleport them out of there. She created a portal to the entrance of Fangorn and made it envelop them. That kind of portal could only be made after Erdolliel died because her magic was scattering and Mirima was able to grasp enough of it to make a portal - which requires alot of magic energy. **

**Nobody has asked me about this yet, but I thought I'd explain it.  
**

*** Ynnealay *  
**


	27. Defying Death

**This chapter is quite short even by my standards, but hope you enjoy. I expect there will be one last chapter and then it will be over. That last chapter should be up soon. **

**Kitiara88: Thanks for the comment. I updated! :) Hope this is "soon" enough.  
**

**Purestrongpoem: Thanks for all the reviews you gave me right from the start. Glad you stayed. :)  
**

**Jasperslittlesister: Thanks to you too, everybody who reviews my stories make me happy. :)**

* * *

"Estel?" Aragorn woke with a start. It was very dark, and the horses were gone. So much for them making noise to wake Aragorn if anything happened. Then he realized he had woken at the sound of his name. The voice sounded familiar – very familiar. He turned, not daring to get his hoped up. He was filled with immense relief. It had been Legolas' voice. The elf had his eyes open, and his slender fingers were brushing over the bandages around his bare chest.

"Legolas." Aragorn said, making it apparent he had been worried. "How do you feel?" He asked automatically.

"Fine." The response left Legolas' lips too soon to be true. Aragorn raised an eyebrow.

"Honestly." Legolas said. But even as he said this, his face and voice conveyed confusion. He sat up, but winced visibly as he did so.

"Legolas? What was that? I know that is not 'fine'." Aragorn said.

"When I move sharply, my chest-" Then Legolas looked up, his eyes widening in realization. "-My _heart._ Aragorn what happened? How long was I unconscious, and why?" Aragorn avoided answering the question at first by saying;

"What do you remember?" Legolas closed his eyes, trying to remember his last thought.

"Erdolliel. You were knocked out. I was fighting her. I heard something off to the side. I turned and saw you running towards us. Then I was on the ground. You were lying beside me. I told you I was dying. I should have been." Legolas looked at Aragorn suspiciously, not wanting to believe what his last memories told him. "This can't be." He whispered.

"Go on. What else do you remember?" Aragorn ignored Legolas' questioning look.

"It was the oddest sensation. I couldn't feel, but yet I _could_. Then darkness and I couldn't feel anything. Just now, I suddenly opened my eyes and I was alive. I saw you lying beside me, I didn't know what happened. What happened?" Aragorn sighed, knowing that this question would eventually re-surface.

"You died, mellon nin." Aragorn stated, as Legolas looked shocked.

"From the stab wound." The elf looked down at his chest, still bandaged. "But my heart beats, still." Legolas stated, obviously growing more confused by the minute.

"Your soul and life energy were captured and kept here in a stone and orb. I managed to revive you with them." Aragorn explained. Legolas nodded, but looked down again at the bandage wrapped around his chest, blood was not soaking it.

"My chest feels whole. Like it has healed, but when I move, my heart feels slightly painful." Legolas made to remove the bandages, but Aragorn stopped him.

"Do not, mellon nin. You will listen to me until you are healed completely. Do you understand?" Legolas nodded in the annoyed fashion he always did when Aragorn treated his injuries and made him stay put. Aragorn went over the saddle bag he had removed from his now missing horse and removed a spare shirt, tossing it to Legolas; who put it on quickly.

"Where are we? What is the day?" Legolas asked. Aragorn checked the sky, it was very early. By the ranger's calculations, the sun would rise in three hours. He told the elf this and then commented;

"We should eat." Legolas nodded, although he was not hungry. He picked up his long knives and looked around for his sheaths. He eventually gave up, setting the knives down beside him.

"Aragorn, you do know by chance if my bow is here too?" he remembered tossing it off in the thorn bushes, but he had hoped-

"No. I have mine though." Aragorn presented it. It was crude, and looked as though Aragorn had made it himself, but Legolas thought it would have to do for now. The elf stood, putting a hand over his heart as he did so to stop it from hurting. Aragorn tried to make him sit back down, but Legolas glared at him, walking around, to test the level of pain it caused. It was bearable, apparently, because he held out his hand for Aragorn's bow and the man gave it to him, much to his surprise.

"I will hunt with you." Legolas stated. "And we should start a fire." Aragorn agreed, but couldn't help worrying about Legolas.

An hour later, they had done both; started a fire and hunted. Legolas' death defying injury did not hinder his performance with a bow, and he only teasingly complained about the bow and the simple construction of it once. They sat by the fire, quite happy, enjoying a good meal and freedom. When they were done, Aragorn made Legolas rest until sunrise.

The sunrise was beautiful. It was a magnificent sunny day. The air was chilly, but the sun made everything bright. They set out on foot to find their horses and Aragorn let Legolas keep his bow, planning on making another later on. All that was left to do was find their horses.

* * *

**Technically, you could stop reading here. But I'm posting an epilogue type thing shortly, so please stick around. **


	28. The End

"Well, I suppose this is farewell for now." Legolas smiled at Aragorn from atop his horse. They were right beside the forest road through Mirkwood. They had found their horses after about a three and a half hour walk up and down the hills of Rohan. They had ridden back to Mirkwood without incident and now it was time for their parting.

"I am not sure about this, Legolas." Aragorn said, eyeing the dark forest. "I think I should accompany you…" Legolas' smile turned playfully threatening.

"Do you doubt my skills to survive, ranger?" The elf challenged. Aragorn replied immediately;

"Considering the fact that back there during our adventure you _died_, then yes, I doubt your skills to survive. Not to mention the fact that there are poisonous spiders in that forest you call home." Aragorn said. Legolas raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, Estel, I came to the conclusion long ago that you are the reason I get stung by poisonous spiders every time I try to go home." Legolas' expression became serious as his eyes stared down the path that would lead him home. Aragorn gaped at the elf incredulously.

"How do you figure that!?" Aragorn demanded, feeling offended and amused at the same time.

"Well, before you were old enough to ride with me, I would ride back from Imladris alone, which back then, I was never at Imladris to spend the whole time recovering from injuries. But that is beside the point. The point is that, every time I ride through alone, I make it home safely. But every time you come with me, I can't remember anything except waking up in Mirkwood's healing rooms and you saying something along the lines of 'You should be glad I was there to save you'." Legolas wore a smug look on his face, thinking he had proved his point quite logically. Aragorn eyed the forest one more time, and then tentatively rode his horse away from the entrance to let Legolas go in.

"Fine, go alone. It is your funeral. And I never said that." Aragorn said, slightly annoyed.

"Thank you." Legolas said. He wore the same look on his face that appeared whenever he won an argument.

"You are _sure_ that I should not come?" Aragorn called.

"I will be fine, foolish human." Legolas replied over his shoulder.

"Stubborn elf." Aragorn muttered. And they parted for a time.

**THE END**

* * *

**So, that's it. I'm working on something else, but I plan to finish it before I start posting, so for now that's the end. :)  
**

**Thanks for sticking with me until the ending. **

**Namárië Echil pent nin, **

***Ynnealay*  
**


End file.
